Georgia’s Black Sea Ferry Routes: Private businesses fill a gap in Georgia’s European trade route

As Georgia’s role in trade between Asia and Europe increases, demand for reliable and frequent ferry transport is growing. Private businesses, driven in part by the new Black Sea Platform, are stepping up to fill it.

New ferries and expanded routes between Georgia and the EU reflect private businesses’ growing response to demand for transport via the Black Sea. The ferry routes connecting Georgia with Romania and Bulgaria facilitate stronger trade links between Europe and Asia. While the primary focus of these services is cargo transport, passenger options are expected to expand in the near future.

Linking businesses across the Black Sea

In response to growing interest in developing stronger ties between several Black Sea countries–Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey, and Ukraine–a direct ferry between Georgia and Romania started in 2023. The route brought the total ferry connections across the Black Sea to two: Poti and Constanta (Georgia and Romania), and Batumi and Burgas (Georgia and Bulgaria).

The Georgia-Romania ferry, the 149.97-meter-long ferry Aia, is owned by E60 Shipping Line and sails between Poti and Constanta in both directions.

“We currently operate two ferries and have purchased another one, which is on its way. From the beginning of 2025, we will have three ferries on our line,” says E60 Shipping Line Commercial Director Mikheil Babunashvili.

Sailing under the Georgian flag and crewed entirely by Georgian citizens, the company launched its first route on June 27, 2023, from Constanta to Poti. The ferry service currently facilitates the transportation of trucks, cars, motorcycles, containers, oversized cargo, and railway boxcars. Transportation costs range from 300 to 2,600 euros. E60 Shipping Line plans to add passenger transport in 2025.

“We have been interested in starting to transport passengers for a long time, but in order to do so, the infrastructure needs to be arranged in Constanța to create a passport control corridor for passengers,” Babunashvili explains. “This is why we cannot transport passengers yet. The conditions on the ship are actually in place. We have purchased a high-class ferry that will welcome passengers with amenities such as a restaurant, bar, and Duty Free shopping.”

He added that the company plans to strengthen its railway transportation services and expand operations to Bulgaria.

“The first and second test runs…were successful. They are referred to as tests because, at this stage, we do not yet operate regularly on the Larnaca line,” Babunashvili says.

“We are currently assessing the demand from that route, and based on the demand for [railway] boxcars we will bring in the required units. If the demand proves to be stable, which we expect it will, it will become clear in the near future. At that point, we can discuss the possibility of operating regularly on that line. Meanwhile, demand is growing on the middle corridor, and we are continuously receiving new cargo.”

The company describes their ferry line as a “highway on the Black Sea,” connecting Europe with Georgia and Asia.

“The main mission of E60 Shipping Line is to facilitate cargo transportation along the Middle Corridor. Each new ferry increases our service capacity and the volume of cargo that can be transported between Georgia, Europe, and Asia. Currently, we handle the majority of cargo moving along the Middle Corridor, but the main challenge in the ferry sector is infrastructure,” Babunashvili explains. “Our ports are primarily designed for container traffic and are not suited for ferry services. All terminals are experiencing a shortage of space, and if we do not unload cargo immediately upon arrival, it exacerbates the space shortage.”

The Poti-Constanta route operates twice a week, with journeys lasting two to three days.

The Burgas-Batumi-Burgas sea route, operated by the private company PB Management, has been in service for over 10 years. The Drujba Line ferry provides the only regular connection between Georgia and Bulgaria, adhering to a fixed weekly schedule.

The ferry runs once per week, with tickets costing $200–$230. The average travel time is 48 hours. Passengers can also use this service, with 2/3 of the ferry’s capacity dedicated to cargo and 1/3 to tourists.

The ship offers four-bed cabins with private bathrooms, WC facilities, and accessible Wi-Fi. PB Management plans to expand its services on this line.

Unrealized potential

The EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC), whose goals include promoting public dialogue and private investment projects, emphasizes the importance of ferry lines for enhancing the competitiveness and capacity of the Middle Corridor.

According to EUGBC Executive Director Giorgi Kacharava, there is potential to strengthen ferry transport, as it significantly reduces transportation costs across the Black Sea.

In 2022, the EUGBC, with assistance from USAID, created the Black Sea Platform to increase business links across the Black Sea basin.

Kacharava highlights significant challenges to realizing the potential of the Black Sea, including the war in Ukraine, the rising tariffs of insurance companies, and security concerns, such as floating mines. In terms of obstacles on the Georgian side, however, he stresses the biggest is the pace of Georgia’s EU integration.

“We are considering several investment projects while simultaneously working on legislative amendments and promoting reforms that support rapid connectivity, including the reduction of technical barriers. A unified computerized transit system is planned, as outlined in the Georgia-EU Association Agreement. This reform is crucial, as queues at land customs checkpoints are a persistent issue, and its implementation will substantially save time and financial resources,” he says.

“This and several other reforms are tied to Georgia’s European integration process. However, the Georgian Dream government’s decision not to resume negotiations with the EU until 2028 could halt many processes, with highly negative consequences for everyone—the business sector, the population, and the state.”