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Akbar Novruz

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Georgia has confirmed that China has officially withdrawn from the Anaklia Deep Sea Port project, with the government instead opting to develop the strategic Black Sea gateway under direct state ownership while partnering with multiple international operators rather than a single foreign consortium, AzerNEWS reports.

Economy Minister Mariam Kvrivishvili announced that the government will implement the project through a "landlord model," under which the Georgian state will retain ownership of the core maritime and port infrastructure while overseeing its development directly.

"The state will remain the sole owner of the port," Kvrivishvili stressed, noting that international companies would only be invited to operate terminals, without acquiring ownership stakes.

The decision marks a significant shift from the previous model. In 2024, China's majority state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and its Singapore-registered subsidiary China Harbour Investment were awarded a 49% stake in the project.

According to Kvrivishvili, the new approach will allow Georgia to cooperate simultaneously with several countries and companies, creating more favorable conditions for attracting cargo flows and international investment.

She also dismissed speculation that the government intended to privatize the project, emphasizing that ownership of the port would remain entirely in state hands.

The minister outlined Georgia's broader transport strategy, highlighting plans to invest approximately $7 billion in transport and logistics infrastructure by 2032, including the Anaklia Port, the modernization of Georgian Railways, and the completion of high-speed highways.

She added that cargo turnover increased by 21% year-on-year during the first four months of 2026 and has grown by 46% over the past four years, presenting Anaklia as a key component of the Middle Corridor connecting Europe and Asia.

Kvrivishvili said the project has attracted interest from neighboring countries, Central Asian states, China, Gulf countries, and Western companies, while noting that Georgia particularly welcomes investment from Middle Corridor partners, including China, the Central Asian states, and Azerbaijan.

Following the announcement, Georgian broadcaster TV Pirveli reported that investment in the port is expected to come primarily from Asian countries, including Azerbaijan, rather than Western partners, with the first terminal operations expected to begin in 2029.

The government made no reference to the Chinese-Singaporean consortium that had previously won the Anaklia tender, effectively confirming months of speculation that Beijing had quietly exited the project.

Rumors of China's withdrawal first surfaced in November 2025, although Georgian authorities and Chinese officials declined to confirm them at the time, maintaining that construction plans remained on track.

The Anaklia Deep Sea Port is regarded as one of Georgia's most strategically important infrastructure projects, designed to strengthen the country's role as a logistics hub along the Middle Corridor linking Europe and Asia. The project traces its origins to the broader Lazika initiative proposed after the 2004 Rose Revolution and has continued despite multiple changes in government and years of political debate.