PM: Georgia’s port cargo turnover rises 24%, reserves exceed $8 bln

Georgia’s ports recorded a 24% increase in cargo turnover in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on Monday.

Speaking to journalists in Batumi, Kobakhidze attributed the positive trend to the “effectiveness of the government’s policy aimed at strengthening Georgia’s connectivity” and making use of its strategic geographic position.

“Despite many challenges, we are still maintaining positive dynamics. Compared with last year, cargo turnover in our ports increased by 24% in the first seven months of this year. This demonstrates the effectiveness of our policy,” Kobakhidze said.

He noted Georgia connects seven landlocked Central Asian countries to the Black Sea and, consequently, to the Western space, adding that expanding political and economic ties with these countries is a key priority.

Kobakhidze also highlighted Georgia’s relations with Azerbaijan, Armenia and China, as well as the country’s free trade agreements with numerous states.

The PM further added cargo flows along the Middle Corridor have increased approximately sevenfold since 2020, with Georgia benefiting from the growth, including through increased cargo turnover at its ports.

He said the government plans to invest $7 billion in ports and other infrastructure over the coming years to fully realize Georgia’s existing potential.

“Our foreign policy is entirely focused on making the maximum use of our strategic geographic location. We naturally connect Europe and Asia, East and West,” Kobakhidze said.

On international reserves, Kobakhidze said their growth was the result of what he described as sound fiscal and economic policies.

He said Georgia had maintained a high degree of fiscal consolidation while recording strong economic growth, with growth reaching 7.9% in the first seven months of 2026, which he described as the highest rate not only in the wider region but also in Europe.

According to Kobakhidze, the National Bank of Georgia increased foreign exchange reserves by more than $600 million in a single month, pushing total international reserves above $8 billion, a historic high.

Kobakhidze also praised the National Bank and the government’s economic team, saying their work had contributed to the record level of international reserves.