MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, Mariam Kvrivishvili, participated in the solemn event dedicated to the International Day of the Seafarer in Batumi. The Minister congratulated the representatives of the maritime sector on their professional day and thanked them for their dedicated work and professionalism.

As Mariam Kvrivishvili noted in her speech, Georgian seafarers successfully operate in the world’s leading fleets, proving through their professionalism that Georgia is a country of strong maritime traditions and highly qualified human capital.

“Our government is consistently working to ensure that Georgian seafarers have a modern environment that meets international standards, decent employment opportunities, and protected labor rights. Today, Georgian seafarers can work on ships flying the flags of 75 maritime nations, and their rights are protected in accordance with international conventions and standards. The maritime sector is one of the most vital pillars of Georgia’s economic development, international trade, and national competitiveness. This is precisely why the Georgian government attaches special importance to the development of maritime infrastructure, ports, logistics and maritime education,” – Mariam Kvrivishvili stated.

According to the Minister of Economy, the Government of Georgia has a clear vision and an ambitious plan, under which approximately 7 billion USD will be invested in the country’s strategic infrastructure by 2032. As the Minister noted, the flagship project of this plan is the Anaklia Deep Sea Port, which serves to strengthen the transport and logistics potential of not only Georgia, but the entire region.

“Anaklia is a symbol of new opportunities, increased cargo turnover, new jobs, and economic growth for Georgia. This is an opportunity for large ships flying the Georgian flag to emerge, guided through the world’s oceans by Georgian seafarers. We believe that the development of Georgia’s maritime sector will make a significant contribution to the country’s economic progress and will further strengthen Georgia’s role in the Middle Corridor as an important transit hub connecting Europe and Asia,” – the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development noted.

President of Georgia Mikheil Kavelashvili, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara Zurab Pataradze, and representatives of executive and local authorities attended the event.

Within the framework of the Day of the Seafarer, the President of Georgia awarded Medals of Honor to representatives of the maritime sphere for their exceptional contribution to state-building and honorable service. Furthermore, for their outstanding contribution to the development of the maritime field, long-standing professional activity, and high responsibility, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, together with the Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and the Director of the Maritime Transport Agency, presented awards to distinguished seafarers.

Georgia celebrates the International Day of the Seafarer annually on June 25. This year in Batumi, educational and entertainment events related to the seafarers’ professional day continued throughout the entire day.