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Dear Rector, dear Cadets and seafarers,

It is my great pleasure to be here today with all of you at the Maritime Academy in Poti.

It was not long ago since I visited the Academy’s facilities in Batumi, but I am particularly happy to be here on this special occasion, allowing me to extend my warmest congratulations to all of you on Seafarers Day!

I would like to praise the contribution you are making to the economic development of Georgia, your work on the high seas, and your contribution to your country’s external relations and image around the world.

The maritime sector is of key importance for the EU and its Member States, as oceans surround much of our continent.

The Black Sea does not divide the EU and Georgia, but unites us.

The Georgian authorities have set as a priority the reinforcement of EU-Georgia transport connectivity over the Black Sea. And it is a political priority that the EU fully supports. We believe in addition that Georgia has the potential to develop into a hub between Asia and the European Union.

It is for this reason, that we are supporting sustainable, rules-based and secure transport connectivity between the EU and Georgia.

The EU has been working actively over these past years to strengthen transport links within Georgia, reinforcing the transit potential of Georgia.  

156 km of roads have been - or are being - built in Georgia along the East-West Highway, with the direct support of the EU Bank, EIB, and EU grant funding.

This year, the EU also started a new project with Georgian Railways. The project is working on the reinforcement of safety, interoperability, organisation and regulation of the Georgian railway sector. This work will contribute to making Georgian Railways more efficient and competitive, further reinforcing the attractiveness of Georgia as a transit hub. 

We have also been working directly with the Maritime Transport Agency and the Government to make the Georgian Maritime sector even stronger and more competitive.

With the support of our experts, the transposition of numerous pieces of EU legislation in the sector have contributed to improving safety, security, training and working conditions in the maritime sector.

Thanks to our common efforts, Georgian flagged vessels are now recognised around the world, Georgian seafarers can be employed on EU Member States flagged vessels, local working conditions in the sector are becoming safer and the Georgian maritime sector is growing more competitive. Congratulations to all maritime professionals for these impressing achievements!

But we will not stop there. Last year EU experts prepared - together with our Georgian counterparts - the first ever Georgian maritime transport strategy, which identifies strategic development goals and growth targets across key sectors of the maritime industry to make it even stronger and better prepared for the future.  

Moreover, we are currently working with Georgian authorities to develop regular freight ferry feeder transportation links between Georgia and the EU. And we are preparing actions aimed at reinforcing energy efficiency in Georgian ports, while one of our Member States will be working on the improvement of Port Reception Facilities for Ship-Generated Waste in ports.

Finally, I would like to mention that - together with the World Bank - we have prepared an indicative Trans-European Transport Network Investment Action Plan that identifies priority infrastructure projects in Georgia and other countries in the region. This plan includes investments in roads, railways, logistic centres and ports in Georgia as well as in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Our goal is to attract funding for these priority investments, located on strategic routes that connect the region to European Union transport routes.

Dear Rector, dear Cadets, with this overview of our common ambitions, I would like to thank you all once again for giving me the opportunity to visit you on this special day.

I wish you all an excellent Seafarers Day. Keep sailing and keep navigating Georgia closer to the EU!