The development of the Middle Corridor and successful negotiations have significantly reduced pressure on third-country transport permit quotas for Georgian freight carriers, according to Irakli Nemsadze, head of the Georgian Land Carriers Association.
Speaking to BMG, Nemsadze said Georgian transport companies rely heavily on operations in third countries, as Georgia's import and export volumes alone are insufficient to fully utilize the country's trucking fleet. As a result, limited permit quotas have long been a major challenge for the sector.
He noted that negotiations have already led to modest but sufficient increases in quotas for countries where permits were previously in short supply. Kazakhstan has increased its quota this year, while the association expects a significant rise in Turkey's third-country permit quota from next year. Although Russia has not yet changed its policy, the association hopes for positive developments in 2027.
According to Nemsadze, the rapid growth of cargo flows from China via the Middle Corridor has also eased demand for third-country permits by redirecting a substantial share of Georgia's trucking fleet to this route, reducing pressure on traditional permit-dependent markets.
