FERRY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GEORGIA AND RUSSIA TO BECOME REGULAR
ArmInfo
2007-05-22 13:10:00
The direct railway ferry communication between Georgia and Russia
will become regular, the document on which was signed by the Director
General of the Railway of Georgia Irakli Ezugbaia and his Russian
counterpart Vladimir Yakunin on May 19 in Kazakhstan at the session
of CIS RW Transport Council.
As the Georgian Railway Department’s press-service told the "Caucasian
Junction" correspondent, only here pilot hauls were carried out by
Poti-Caucasus ferry route in 2006 on the basis of an intergovernmental
agreement between Georgia and Russia. Two hauls were carried out this
year, however, there was no regular communication so far. The Black
Sea Ferry & Investments Company was engaged in the Poti- Caucasus
ferry route implementation project by the initiative of the Russian
railways. As expected, the functioning of the ferry communication by
Poti-Caucasus line will increase the volumes of transport and export
cargo through Georgia’s RW. The ferry communication will connect the
Russian "Caucasus" port, situated on the Taman peninsular, with the
Georgian Poti town. This route will become part of the shortest and
economical way from Russia to Georgia and Armenia. It is scheduled to
start up the second similar ferry by the end of summer, that will
allow to assure considerable increase of goods turnover between
the countries.
To recall, a Memorandum on resumption of a regular ferriage "Port
Caucasus-Poti" was signed in Yerevan on February 13 by RA Transport
and Communication Minister Andranik Manukyan and President of the
"Reserve Capital Enterpising Corporation" Swiss Company, being
owner of Khakim Matchanov ferries. According to the Minister, with
the functioning of the new ferry, the transportation prices will be
lower than those of the Ukrainian "Ukferry" carrier by 20%.
Moreover, the cargo from the Russian "Caucasus" port to the Georgian
Poti will be delivered within 31 hours, while the goods from the
Ilichevsk port to Poti reach within 50 hours.