Cargo Shipments Initiated on Batumi- Novorossiysk Route, According to Armenian Media

 The director of C&M INTERNATIONAL, Davit Iloyan, stated in a conversation with Armenpress that cargoes have already been transported from Batumi to Novorossiysk (Krasnodar region) twice.

“As of today, our ships can carry 350 containers. On April 18, we successfully completed the first shipment. We plan to operate one regular weekly shipment from Novorossiysk and Batumi, with a return trip. We can increase the rate of shipments by 2 or 3 times upon request. The main thing now is to ensure one regular weekly transfer,” said David Iloyan.

The director of C&M INTERNATIONAL claims that this cargo route can turn out very profitable for many businessmen. The cargo reaches the destination in 20-24 hours. According to him, there are no impedances on the way, and the businessmen can rest assured that their goods will reach their partners on schedule.

“We can offer stable timelines and prices for our shipments, which is often impossible with land transfers. During high demand, the Zemo (Upper) Larsi passage is not wide enough to accommodate increased traffic, and exporters and importers are unable to deliver their goods to their customers on time. There are no such issues with sea transportation. We already had one, Zemo Larsi route, now we have another option,”’ said the company director, and added that part of the cargo being transported by the sea will relieve Zemo Larsi traffic and facilitate tourist travel.

As for the price policy of transportation, David Iloyan remarked that they can offer stable prices to clients for the entire year.

In August 2022, the Minister of Economy of Armenia, Vahan Kerobyan, announced plans for launching a ferry service between Georgia and Russia, which would enable cargo transfer to Armenia. The talks then concerned the route from Poti Port to “Kavkaz” of the Krasnodar region. 

Regarding this matter, the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia explained that due to the overloading of the Zemo Lars border crossing point, the Armenian Government asked the Government of Georgia to consider sea transportation as an alternative to Lars, which would process transit cargo of perishable and essential goods.

“The Republic of Armenia, which has no sea access, traditionally uses Georgian harbors to conduct international trade. In this regard, it is noteworthy that Georgia is a member of the International Convention on Transit Trade of Landlocked States. In accordance with this convention, landlocked states should have free access to the sea and be on equal terms with coastal states in order to practice unrestricted access to the sea”, stated the Georgian side.

Update:

In response to the information published by Armenian media, the Transport Agency stated that while shipments did take place between Novorossiysk and Batumi, they will not be regular in nature.

“In April, the Palau-flagged ship Haci Musa Ucak (IMO 9128544) indeed made two commercial shipments between Novorossiysk and Batumi. It should be emphasized, though, that this is not a regular transit, and is fully commercial in nature, which is carried out systematically. The company that owns the said ship, which cannot be found on the sanctioned list, plans to continue operating this route. As for the cargo, it is fully transit and intended for the Republic of Armenia,” the agency said in a statement.

The Agency stresses that if a ship or its owner is on the sanctions list, it is not allowed to enter Georgian ports.