APM Terminals Reaffirms Poti Mega-Port Plans

 

Speaking at the 4th Annual Black Sea Ports and Shipping Conference 2015 on May 29th on the subject of Black Sea Ports as agents of economic growth for the region, APM Terminals Poti Deputy Managing Director Joseph Crowley discussed the advantages of Poti Seaport as the prominent gateway for Black Sea, Mediterranean and Central Asian trade.
 
“While recent World Bank economic growth forecasts for the broader Caucasus region have been reduced, APM Terminals is committed to our ongoing investment in Poti Seaport to anticipate and satisfy the future demand potential” said Mr. Crowley, adding “this infrastructure investment into the port will help make future gateway volume growth possible, a major factor in Georgia’s growing presence as a global trading partner”.
 
In April 2011, APM Terminals purchased Poti Sea Port, the largest port in Georgia, a multi-purpose facility with 15 berths for cargo and RoRo service, with total quay length of 2,900 meters and more than 20 quay cranes. Since assuming operations, APM Terminals has invested over USD 70 million upgrading the outdated port infrastructure and service facilities, including the construction of a new Customs Center, as well as new rail and truck facilities.
 
A grain processing terminal with potential of 500,000 ton annual capacity was opened in May 2013, opening an alternate route for Central Asian wheat exports to the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions. In 2014, total container throughput of Georgian ports was approximately 480,000 TEUs, with Poti’s container volume 80% of this total, or 385,000 TEUs. In 2015, the current Poti Seaport is expected to handle over 8 million tons of cargo and 400,000 TEUs, with more than 1,300 vessel calls.
 
APM Terminals Poti has completed a comprehensive study for the port master plan to drive and accommodate future cargo flows through Georgia and neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan. With the completion of the Inland Container Terminal last year, APM Terminals has taken the first step towards executing this large scale port expansion.  The next phase of the expansion plan, with projected completion in 2018, includes two new deep water berths able to accommodate vessels of 9,000 TEU capacity and an annual throughput capacity of one million TEUs.
 
The planned new quay to be constructed in front of the existing Inland Container Terminal, will enable full integration of the terminal yard, road and rail infrastructure into the expanded deep-water Mega-Port facility. At completion, the fully built-out mega-port will have an annual cargo throughput capacity of 50 million tons and 2 million TEUs. With a water depth of up to 16 meters the port will be able to accommodate the largest vessels calling the Black Sea. An adjacent industrial and free trade zone complements the projected cargo throughput growth.
 
“The Poti mega-port will build upon our existing infrastructure and facilities to create new job and trade opportunities for the port, the country and the region” said Mr. Crowley.