The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia confirms that two flights between Batumi and Novorossiysk in April, but denies a report from Armenian media about the start of regular transportation.
Today Armenpress published information according to which C&M INTERNATIONAL has been shipping cargo on the route Novorossiysk-Batumi and Batumi-Novorossiysk since April.
They claim that the cargo transportation is carried out at the expense of a subsidy from the Armenian government. According to the director of C&M INTERNATIONAL David Iloyan, cargo has already been sent twice in this direction.
“Today our ship can carry 350 containers. On April 18, we successfully completed our first shipment. We are planning one regular weekly flight between Novorossiysk and Batumi and back.
In parallel with demand, we will be able to increase traffic by 2-3 times as needed. We had only one road – Zemo Lars, today there is another,” Iloyan said.
He argues that if part of the cargo transportation is carried out by sea, then the flow of vehicles on Zemo Lars will decrease, and as a result, “tourists will be able to move around more easily.”
“The information disseminated by some Armenian media about the start of regular sea traffic between Batumi and the Russian city of Novorossiysk since April this year is an interpretation and does not correspond to reality.
With regard to the report on specific deliveries, in April a Palau-flagged vessel did make two commercial voyages between Novorossiysk and Batumi. But it should be emphasized that this is not a regular flight, but is of a completely commercial nature, which is carried out systematically. The company that owns the non-sanctioned vessel is still planning to operate commercial flights. As for the cargo, it is completely transit and is intended for the Republic of Armenia.
The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia, in cooperation with the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance, constantly inspects both ships and shipowners for international sanctions. Accordingly, if a vessel or the owner of the vessel is on the sanctions list, it is not allowed to enter the ports of Georgia and carry out the relevant procedures,” the Maritime Transport Agency said in a statement.
