Ukraine resumes ferry service with Georgia

Ukraine has resumed ferry service with Georgia for the first time since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, completing two voyages from the Port of Chornomorsk to the Georgian port of Batumi.

"Two sailings were completed on March 18 and March 26 from Chornomorsk to Batumi. A third voyage is planned for next week," said Tymofiy Murakhovsky, Commercial and Logistics Director at JSC Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine's railway operator, during a meeting on the restoration of the Ukraine-Georgia ferry link as part of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).

According to Murakhovsky, the project involves the participation of shipping company Ukrferry (Odesa) and UZ Cargo Poland (Warsaw), a subsidiary of Ukrzaliznytsia.

He noted that the initial voyages in March were carried out under an information blackout. Murakhovsky urged businesses to actively engage with this new transport route.

As is well known, maritime links between Ukraine and Georgia were suspended following the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukrferry had initially announced the resumption of the Chornomorsk-Batumi ferry route for July 9, 2024, but the launch was delayed until March 2025.