AD Ports Group (AD Ports) has signed a purchase agreement with Inveco LLC to acquire 60 per cent ownership in the Tbilisi Dry Port, a new custom-bonded and rail-connected intermodal logistics hub in Georgia.
The project, currently owned by Inveco LLC and Wilhelmsen, is expected to be operational by Q4 2024.
As a key logistics facility in Georgia connecting the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, which are at the heart of the Middle Corridor, the project consists of different integrated facilities such as a container freight station, warehouses and a car storage park.
It will act as the point of entry and exit as well as a regional transit point for manufacturers, shippers and consignees moving containers, vehicles and other goods for distribution and storage.
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The project offers direct westward railway links to Türkiye and to Georgian Ports of Poti and Batumi, which further connect to European Black Sea ports in Bulgaria and Romania, while its eastern connectivity links with different ports located along the Caspian Sea via a railway corridor to Azerbaijan.
The port consists of two land parcels and will be developed in phases. To future-proof the project, an additional 88,000 square metres of land is available to cater for further volume growth.
The project will be completed in three phases. By the end of the initial phase, the handling capacity is expected to reach 96,500 TEU, with 10,000 square metres of warehouse and a car storage yard.
Upon the completion of phase three, the project will have a handling capacity of 286,000 TEU, 100,000 square metres of warehouse and a significantly expanded car storage yard. Further land plots have already been secured and can be developed as and when needed.
Noatum Logistics, part of the AD Ports Group, will operate and manage the facilities while leveraging capabilities offered by the Group’s cross-Cluster portfolio and drawing on the expertise and capacities of Inveco LLC and Wilhelmsen.
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Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of the UAE, said: “Guided by the vision of our wise leadership, the UAE Government is focused on fostering international cooperation with strategic and global partners that share our vision for mutual benefit and sustainable prosperity.
“Consequently, in October 2023, the UAE and Georgia signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which aims to increase the bilateral non-oil trade between our two nations to AED5.5 billion ($1.5 billion) in five years, while accelerating economic recovery and securing vital supply chains.
“AD Ports Group’s investment in the Tbilisi Dry Port delivers on this objective, which is set to deepen trade and investment ties, develop global trade lanes, and generate market access opportunities for UAE and Georgian businesses alike.”
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Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, said: “AD Ports Group is committed to strategic international investments that advance economic growth, job creation and mutual benefit in line with our wise leaders’ vision.
“By investing in, and operating, new strategic infrastructure and logistics hubs along the Caspian Sea – Black Sea Corridor, AD Ports Group is delivering on our strategy to strengthen global supply chains.
“As a country situated at the centre of the Caucasus and located along the Black Sea, Georgia is a key destination linking us with our growing maritime and logistics assets in Central Asia and Türkiye, thereby enabling us to serve our customers with cost-effective, streamlined cargo flows and capture significant future trade volumes.”
Most recently, AD Ports signed strategic MoUs with the Gujarat Maritime Board and Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES Limited).
