Posted on September 7, 2026
Georgia has said that a second dredging vessel has arrived in the waters of the future Anaklia Deep Sea Port, with dredging progressing actively. This follows Georgia’s announcement that it would take over development of the port after the Chinese consortium initially tapped for its construction exited the project.
The Economy Ministry said the vessel, al-Idrisi, arrived in Anaklia, joining the first vessel, Tristao Da Cunha. Both vessels are part of the Belgian maritime contractor Jan De Nul’s fleet, which says its two vessels are capable of dredging more than 70,000 cubic metres of seabed per day.
The ministry said that works have already been completed along an approximately one-kilometre section at the base of the breakwater, while dredging has now begun in the port’s entrance and turning channels.
In July, Georgia said that China had officially exited the Anaklia Deep Sea Port, in favour of direct state development and ‘partnership with several countries’. The move was expected by many experts and critics, as rumours of China’s exit had been circulating for months.
Following completion of the dredging works, the seabed in the Anaklia Port area will be deepened to approximately 17.5 metres, while the project includes construction of a 1,376-metre breakwater. The planned depth will enable the port to accommodate some of the largest and highest-capacity vessels operating in the Black Sea. The breakwater will create a sheltered harbour basin and facilitate the development of deep-water container berths, as well as berths for dry and bulk cargo. The design targets annual operational availability of at least 95%.
The construction of the initial land-based section of the breakwater is underway, involving the placement of stone and aggregate. Once this phase is completed, construction will move into the sea.
The project is being developed under a landlord port model, under which the state develops and owns the core port infrastructure, while private partners are responsible for developing and operating terminals. The Economy Ministry says this model is intended to foster competition, attract international partners and cargo flows, and support the port’s efficient operation.
The state is also responsible for developing the transport infrastructure connecting Anaklia to the wider network, including a new road and railway.
During a recent inspection of the ongoing works, Anaklia Sea Port LLC director Zurab Sichinava, Maritime Transport Agency head Ivane Abashidze, and Jan De Nul’s Anaklia director Eric Bates reviewed progress at the site.
Bates described the Anaklia Deep Sea Port as an important project for Georgia’s economy, saying it would contribute to increased employment as well as growth in Georgia’s GDP and global GDP.
The Anaklia Deep Sea Port project has a long and politically complex history in Georgia, dating back to its initial development idea in 2006 and continuing through the end of Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency and the subsequent rise of the Georgian Dream government. In 2016, the Georgian government selected the Anaklia Development Consortium LLC to build and operate the deep-sea port on the Black Sea coast. The $2.5 billion project was presented as a major strategic investment that could strengthen Georgia’s role as a regional trade and transportation hub by creating a direct link between China and Europe along the historic Silk Road.
However, the project soon became mired in political and financial difficulties. By 2020, the Georgian government argued that the consortium had failed to meet its contractual obligations and terminated the agreement, prompting the consortium to challenge the government’s decision. In 2022, then-Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili announced that Georgia would resume work on the Anaklia port under new terms, with the government taking a 51% stake in the $2.5 billion venture.
