Kavkaz-Poti ferry route acceptable for Armenia

Vice President of GCC Russian Railways Avtandil Gorgiladze has stated that it would be most profitable for Armenian forwarders to use the ferry running between Poti (Georgia) and Kavkaz (Russia). Its cargo transfer time is much shorter, only 36 hours, and the route offers lower tariffs than those of Ukrferry, the competing Ukrainian operator, which transports cargo from Ilichevsk (Ukraine) to Poti and Batumi.

Gorgiladze is sure that despite the complicated financial and economic situation cargo turnover will increase through this route. In 2000 cargo turnover between Russia and Armenia was 1.5 million tonnes, but in 2008 it was 3 million tonnes. He suggested that due to the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games turnover will further increase. Meanwhile the Russian port of Kavkaz is establishing further ferry routes to the Turkish port of Samsun and the Bulgarian port of Varna.