Batumi, Georgia
Batumi, Georgia: Vibrant Black Sea port city famed for its modern skyline, beaches, and cultural landmarks.
Port Overview
Batumi is Georgia’s second-largest city, located on the eastern shore of the Black Sea near the Turkish border. As a major deep-water port, Batumi holds strategic importance for regional trade and energy transit, serving as a key gateway between Europe and Asia. The port is vital for Caspian oil exports and general cargo. Batumi handles approximately 250,000–300,000 TEU annually, ranking it among the busiest ports in the South Caucasus. Its location and capacity make it a crucial hub for Georgia’s economy and international commerce.
Facilities & Infrastructure
Batumi Port features five main terminals, including container, bulk, oil, ferry, and passenger facilities. The Batumi International Container Terminal (BICT) operates modern container, ferry, and dry cargo berths, equipped with mobile harbor cranes (up to 100 MT capacity), reach stackers, and empty handlers. The port supports high-volume Ro-Ro and container traffic, offers customs clearance zones, and provides efficient multimodal connections for rail, truck, and vessel cargo. Automated ferry bridges and advanced cargo handling systems ensure rapid operations.
Container Terminals
Batumi International Container Terminal (BICT) operates 2 main container berths (Berths 4 and 5) with a total berth length of 284 meters and a draft of 11 meters. The terminal’s annual capacity is approximately 230,000 TEU. BICT uses modern container handling equipment but is not fully automated. The major operator is International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), a leading global port operator.
Port Services
- Container handling: Dedicated container terminal with vessel loading/unloading, storage, stripping, and stuffing services.
- Cargo operations: General cargo, project cargo, oil products, and ferry cargo handling with modern equipment and stevedoring.
- Ship services: Berthing, ship maintenance, bunkering, and support for various vessel types.
- Warehousing: On-site warehouses and customs storage for cargo, including container freight stations.
- Customs: Integrated customs clearance facilities with on-terminal customs officers for efficient cargo processing.
Global Connectivity
Batumi, Georgia is a key Black Sea port connecting Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. It serves as a major transit hub for oil, dry cargo, containers, and Ro-Ro traffic, linking regions such as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey. Batumi offers direct shipping routes to ports in Türkiye, Bulgaria, Spain, Italy, North Africa, and the Mediterranean, facilitating efficient access to European and global markets.
Port Statistics
Batumi Sea Port, Georgia – Key Statistics (2025):
- TEU throughput: 33,800 TEU (Jan–Sep 2025, significant decrease from previous year)
- World ranking: Not ranked among the world’s top container ports
- Number of berths: 11
- Port area: 22.2 hectares
- Shipping lines: Serviced by major regional and international lines, including MSC, CMA CGM, and Maersk
Batumi primarily handles oil, dry bulk, and general cargo, with limited container operations compared to Poti.
