Georgia launches first modern dry port, aims to become regional trade hub

Georgia has launched its first modern dry port near Tbilisi, aiming to become a vital logistics and trade hub linking the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Georgia has taken a major step toward enhancing its role in regional trade and logistics with the official opening of the Tbilisi Dry Port – the first modern railway container and cargo terminal of its kind in the South Caucasus.

At the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze highlighted the strategic importance of the new facility, calling it a key addition to Georgia’s infrastructure that will boost trade flows across the Caucasus and Central Asia.

“This is a very important strategic facility that will play a key role in strengthening trade flows in the Caucasus and Central Asia,” Kobakhidze said. “It will further strengthen Georgia’s transit function and help transform our country into a regional hub.”

Key Facts:

• Location: 28.5 hectares near Tbilisi, with direct access to international highways, the national railway, and close proximity to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Tbilisi International Airport.

• Capacity: 100,000 containers annually in the first phase; up to 200,000 after full completion.

• Investment: $21 million for the first phase.

• Partners: Abu Dhabi Ports Group (UAE), Wilhelmsen Port Services (Norway), and Georgian company Inveko.

The port will not only serve Georgia’s key seaports – Poti, Batumi, and eventually Anaklia – but also function as a container hub for international shipping lines. It’s expected to significantly improve cargo movement, especially for shipments from China and the Far East via the Middle Corridor.

The project is being developed in three phases. With the first phase now complete and operational, the remaining work will continue to expand the port’s capacity and logistical capabilities.

“This dry port will raise Georgia’s position as a key connector in Eurasian trade routes,” Kobakhidze added, thanking all local and international partners involved in the project.

As regional trade grows in importance, Georgia’s investment in strategic infrastructure like the Tbilisi Dry Port signals its ambition to lead as a reliable transit and logistics center in the heart of the South Caucasus.

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