The Middle East conflict may create new opportunities for Georgia’s logistics sector, as some cargo owners are already choosing the Middle Corridor and Georgia as an alternative transit route. According to Givi Chachanidze, Commercial Manager at COSCO Shipping Lines, certain shipments - such as cargo from Uzbekistan or Turkmenistan previously routed through Iran on their way to China, have already shifted toward Georgia due to regional disruptions.
Chachanidze explains that while Georgia cannot work with Iran because of sanctions, countries like Uzbekistan and China were able to use Iranian routes until recently. Now, with various regional conflicts affecting those channels, additional cargo flows are being redirected through the Middle Corridor, including shipments that once entered Azerbaijan via Iran but later moved entirely to Georgia.
He notes that this moment represents another test for Georgia: to attract these redirected cargoes and potentially retain them long term. However, pricing remains the decisive factor for shipping companies, and global supply chain disruptions, similar to those seen during COVID-19, could again lead to container shortages and rising costs, a scenario the industry hopes to avoid.
For Georgia to fully capitalize on these opportunities, Chachanidze stresses the urgent need for infrastructure development, especially port capacity. While the country is prepared to handle increased cargo volumes, he emphasizes that without a deep-sea port, Georgia cannot establish itself as a true transit hub. Rail capacity has improved, but without deep-water port infrastructure, Georgia risks being unable to move incoming freight onward.
