Poti Port’s First Quarter of 2025: Record Results and Further Confirmation of Its Regional Hub Status

The data from Poti Port for the first quarter of 2025 clearly demonstrate the growing trend of Georgia’s transit potential. The latest statistics released by APM Terminals Poti confirm that the country is actively reaping the strategic benefits of its geopolitical and logistical location — a trend becoming even more visible amid the strengthening of its transit infrastructure.

This year, Poti Port handled 146,468 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in just the first three months, marking a 15.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This dynamic is particularly significant given that 2024 itself had relatively high results compared to the previous year. It is noteworthy that this is the best first-quarter result for the 2022–2025 period, pointing to the port’s strong operational capabilities and the effectiveness of its market-driven strategy.

Moreover, during the same period, 81 container vessels entered Poti, compared to 74 ships in 2024. This figure reflects not only the growth in logistical flows but also the port’s increasing attractiveness within the regional and Black Sea cargo turnover system.

A less visible but economically significant trend is the near doubling of bulk cargo volumes: 82,369 tons were handled in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 37,281 tons during the same period last year. This segment is more closely tied to the industrial sector and energy resources, potentially indicating either global trends or growing volumes of production and consumption within Georgia — both of which drive greater demand on logistical hubs.

In terms of broader assessment, data from the past three years provide a clearer view of the trajectory: Poti Port handled 357,857 TEUs in 2022, 592,589 TEUs in 2023, and 545,297 TEUs in 2024. Although a slight decline was observed in 2024, the start of 2025 already shows that a new record could be set by the end of this year. Last year, the port also received 313 container vessels and processed 74,173 vehicles, underscoring its multifunctional operational profile and further solidifying its role as a Transcaucasian gateway.

The growth rates at Poti Port should not be seen solely through economic figures. They point to Georgia’s ability to maximize the use of existing logistical routes amid geopolitical instability, such as the war in Ukraine or the impact of sanctions on Russia. If infrastructural policies continue wisely and state-level support is maintained for initiatives such as the development of additional rail and road infrastructure, Poti Port can truly establish itself as a regional hub between Central Asia and Europe.

Against this backdrop, the growth recorded in the first quarter should not be viewed as an isolated event, but rather as part of a strategic turning point, positioning Georgia as a new center on the economic map. Competition in the corridors connecting Europe and Asia is especially intense today, but Poti is clearly asserting its position as a growing logistical center — not only increasing in volume but also qualitatively strengthening its place within the region.