Tag Archives: maritime

Kazakhstan and Iran sign deal to build Special Commercial Zone in Aktau

FEB. 25 2020 (The Bulletin) — Kazakhstan and Iran signed a deal to build a joint special commercial zone in Aktau that will be aimed at helping shift goods between Iran and Central Asia. Media reports said it will cost around 15m euros to build the 5 hectare site in Aktau. Relations, and trade, between Iran and Central Asia have been increasing over the past five years. Kazakhstan’s main exports to Iran are barley, wheat and rolled iron. Iran sends pistachios, dates, apples, plastics, tableware and meat processing equipment to Kazakhstan and Central Asia.

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— This story was first published in issue 438 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2020

Georgia gives Anaklia partners more time to name financers

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DEC. 17 2019 (The Bulletin) — Georgia’s government extended to Dec. 31 a deadline for the partners developing the Anaklia port on the Black Sea to submit new loan agreements after they missed a Dec. 16 deadline. The Anaklia was supposed to be the biggest infrastructure project built in Georgia, opening it up to more East-West cargo traffic, but instead each side has accused the other of undermining progress. The partners are TBC Holding, the US’ SSA Marine, Britain’s Wondernet Express and Bulgaria’s G-Star.
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— This story was first published in issue 432 of the weekly Bulletin on Dec. 27 2019

Georgia and Azerbaijan to build new terminal at Batumi port

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AN. 14 (The Conway Bulletin) — Georgia and Azerbaijan will jointly fund the construction of a new terminal at the Georgian city of Batumi on the Black Sea, media reported. The terminal will specialise in the loading and unloading minerals and fertilisers and add to the ports of entry and exit for goods moving across the South Caucasus. Reports said that US companies Wondernet Express Investments and Trammo will also invest in the project.
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>>This story was first published in issue 397 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 20 2019

Blue Water Shipping announces new Kazakh deal

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MAY 11 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — A consortium lead by Denmark- based Blue Water Shipping has won a cargo contract to transport equipment to the Tengizchevroil project in Kazakhstan through a network of rivers and canals in Russia, the company said. Tengizchevroil is the consortium running the Tengiz oil project. It has committed to an $36.8b expansion plan. This is generating business for a number of companies in Kazakhstan. Included in the Blue Water Shipping consortium is Dubai-based Manchester Shipping.

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(News report from Issue No. 328, published on May 12 2017)

Port developments begin in Georgia

OCT. 4 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – The Anaklia Development Consortium started construction at the $2.5b Anaklia Deep Sea Port, just north of Poti, on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Georgia’s PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili said the port will be complete by 2020. TBC Holding and US-based Conti are part of the consortium. Mamuka Khazaradze, chairman of TBC Bank, owns TBC Holding.

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(News report from Issue No. 299, published on Oct. 7 2016)

Georgia awards contract to build $2.5b Black Sea port to US-Georgian group

FEB. 9 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Georgia awarded a US-Georgian consortium the contract to build a $2.56b deepwater port at Anaklia on the Black Sea, a project that will bolster the country’s role as a major trade link between East and West.

The Georgian government chose the Anaklia Development Consortium (ADC) over two separate bids submitted by China’s state-owned PowerChina and another by Russo- Georgian venture Anaklia Industrial Eco-Park.

ADC is a joint venture between Tbilisi-based TBC Holding and US- based Conti. Mamuka Khazaradze, chairman of TBC Bank, owns TBC Holding.

Kurt Conti, Conti CEO, said in a statement: “We are looking forward to breaking ground and working with the government of Georgia to help forge new paths from Asia to Europe as well as unlocking the economic potential of Georgia’s neighbours and landlocked nations in the Caucasus.”

For Georgia, the project underlines its role as transit country for goods flowing between Asia and Europe. It hosts oil and gas pipelines running from the Caspian Sea to Turkey, has developed its road and rail networks and wants to leverage its position on the Black Sea.

And the government, which has also pledged $100m to the project, said that the deepwater port was vital.

“This will create completely new opportunities for Georgia to make full use of the Silk Road and the South Caucasus transport corridor,” PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili told the press.

The plan will also transform Anakalia, a small town on the border with the breakaway region of Abkhazia.

The construction phase of the port will create an estimated 3,400 jobs, ADC told media, and a total of 6,400 people will be employed at the port when it is up and running.

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(News report from Issue No. 267, published on Feb. 12 2016)

Azerbaijani businessman denies accusations

DEC. 22 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — Malta-based Oil Transportation and Shipping Services, owned by Azerbaijani businessman Mubariz Mansimov, denied any allegation of its association with the BMZ Group, owned by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son. Russia accused the BMZ Group of smuggling oil on behalf of the Islamic State. Relations between Russia and Turkey have broken down after a Turkish fighter-jet shot down a Russian fighter-jet over Syria in November.

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(News report from Issue No. 262, published on Jan. 8 2016)

Van Oord signs Kazakhstan contracts

DEC. 2 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) — Dutch marine engineering company Van Oord said it signed several contracts with Kazakhstan for a total value of $500m. Van Oord representatives accompanied the Dutch PM Mark Rutte during his official visit to Astana. One of the main projects will be to expand the port in the town of Prorva on the Caspian Sea coast near Atyrau in north-west Kazakhstan.

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(News report from Issue No. 259, published on Dec. 4 2015)

ADB approves loan for Georgian coast

AUG. 29 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $20m loan to boost coastal defences along the Black Sea. The loan will be used to strengthen 5km of shore south of Batumi. The ADB said it was important to defend the shoreline to protect farmland and housing as well as the region’s beaches which attract thousands of tourists each year.

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(News report from Issue No. 246, published on Sept. 4 2015)

Georgian Poti Port to increase in size

JUNE 5 2015 (The Conway Bulletin) – APM Terminals plans to increase the size and depth of its port at Poti, on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, media quoted its deputy managing director Joseph Crowley as saying at a conference. Mr Crowley said APM wanted to add two more deep-water berths to the port, boosting its capacity.

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(News report from Issue No. 235, published on June 11 2015)