Posted on December 3, 2025
TBILISI – Georgia has cut planned funding for the construction of the Anaklia deep-sea port, one of the country’s most ambitious infrastructure projects, according to the final version of the 2026 state budget submitted to parliament.
The government now intends to spend 50 million lari (18 million USD) next year on the port’s water infrastructure, down from the 150 million lari (56 million USD) that appeared in both earlier drafts of the budget. The official budget note explains that the reduction reflects money already allocated in previous years and the level of work planned for 2026.
Next year’s budget still keeps the 45 million lari (17 million USD) earmarked for the construction of an 18-kilometer access road to the port. This amount has not changed since the first version of the budget. Taken together, spending on the port and the access road will total 95 million lari (35 million USD) in 2026 BM reports.
Far larger outlays are expected the following year. The capital projects annex states that in 2027 the government plans to spend 125 million lari (46 million USD) on the access road and a corresponding amount on port infrastructure.
The documents also outline the construction schedule. Environmental permits for the port’s breakwater and seabed deepening works are currently being processed. Once issued, the first section of the breakwater will be built. A small dredger is expected to arrive in early 2026 to carry out soil-improvement work, followed by a large dredger in July 2026 to begin deepening the port basin. These dredging works are set to finish in spring 2027.
The contract specifies May 14, 2027 as the completion date for the breakwater and dredging, although officials expect the works may finish by late 2026 or early 2027. Most of the water infrastructure, including the breakwater and deepened approach channels, will be operational after that phase, but the construction of the main berth will require a separate procurement.
The dredging is being carried out by the Belgian firm Jan De Nul under a contract signed in summer 2024.
The government is building the port as its sole shareholder while also negotiating with China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which was selected as the preferred bidder in May 2024. However, no final contract has been signed. In September, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said six key issues still needed to be resolved in talks with the Chinese company.
According to preliminary projections, the port’s first phase would handle around 600,000 TEU per year, or roughly 7.8 million tons of cargo. The seabed must be deepened to at least 16 meters to accommodate large vessels.
