Jan De Nul started dredging works for the construction of a breakwater, access channel, and turning basin in Anaklia, Georgia. The development of the Anaklia Deep Sea Port is a project of strategic importance for Georgia. The port should become one of the key maritime gateways of the Middle Corridor, a trade route connecting Europe with Central Asia and beyond.

Alternative Trade Route

Located on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, Anaklia Deep Sea Port will increase the country’s capacity to handle large container vessels and create additional capacity for dry and bulk cargo. The port will boost the development of the Middle Corridor. This trade route through the Caspian and Black Seas is considered a reliable alternative to the northern route through Russia, or the southern route via the Suez Canal.

Two Dredging Vessels at Work

Jan De Nul’s dredging vessels Tristão da Cunha and Al-Idrisi are deepening the access channel to 17.5 meters, allowing the port to accommodate large Panamax and Post-Panamax vessels. Panamax vessels are designed to fit the maximum dimensions of the original Panama Canal, while Post-Panamax vessels exceed these dimensions. The works also include the construction of a turning basin, giving these large vessels sufficient space to safely maneuver within the port.

In a joint venture with local company Prime Concrete, Jan De Nul will also construct a breakwater of 1,380 meters. The structure will protect the port from waves, creating a sheltered area where vessels can safely enter, maneuver, and berth.

First Vessel in 2029

Dredging works will continue until the end of 2026. The construction of the breakwater should be finished by the end of 2027. The first construction phase should be completed by 2029. The port will then have an annual container capacity of at least 600,000 TEUs, short for Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, a standard measure of the capacity of container ships and ports. A second phase is expected to increase this capacity to at least one million TEUs by 2035.

Tamar Ioseliani, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia: “The Government of Georgia has a well-organized and consistent vision and plan for developing the country’s transport system to expand Georgia’s role in international transport and logistics networks. We will ensure that the Anaklia Deep Sea Port receives its first ship in 2029.”

“We are committed to the development of the Middle Corridor. In addition to building the marine infrastructure for Anaklia, Jan De Nul contributes to this strategic trade route through major port projects across the region, including the expansion of Kuryk Port in Kazakhstan and dredging works for the expansion of Mersin Port in Türkiye,” said Tim Devolder, Area Manager for Georgia at Jan De Nul.