Trade and logistics hub appears in Georgia

Many ships come to the Poti Sea Port, on the Black Sea coast of Georgia, and will go to Turkey or Romania to reach the EU.

Since 2022, the need to streamline trade through the “Middle Corridor” has become evident.

Meanwhile, as Atlantic Council reports, volumes on the Northern Corridor fell by half in 2023, while volumes on the Middle Corridor increased by 89 per cent.

Another reason to develop the Middle Corridor is a recurrent disruption to maritime traffic through the Red Sea as a result of attacks by Houthi militants in Yemen.

Another major infrastructure development is the new Tbilisi Dry Port opened in June. AD Ports Group, based in Abu Dhabi, owns it.

According to Levan Berdzenishvili, commercial manager at Tbilisi Dry Port, this hub allows to load cargo to and from trains at Tbilisi.

Finally, additional rail spurs and warehousing facilities will be connected next year.

Not only cargo, but also oil and gas run via the Middle Corridor through Georgia, from Azerbaijan to export terminals in Turkey.

Also, Georgia has become an important link in the Green Energy Corridor, an underwater transmission line linking Georgia to Romania.

Nevertheless, the main challenge is the complexity of the Middle Corridor’s route. It needs to load cargoes heading from China along the corridor to ships to cross the Caspian Sea, then to load them back on to trains or trucks in Baku to cross the Caucasus, and then to transfer to ships again at the Black Sea coast.

Demand for the Middle Corridor could be undermined by factors beyond Georgia’s control, including rail and port delays in Central Asia, or a lack of shipping capacity on the Caspian.

However, the role of Georgia is to ensure the functioning of the Middle Corridor.

Another important thing is a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia, including a pledge to develop trade and infrastructure along the so-called ‘Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity’.

Yet, delays in approving an expansion plan that would see it invest at least $200mn in a new quay are frustrating for APM.

The reason is the priority of a new deepwater port further north at Anaklia.

Alkis Drakinos, regional director for Caucasus at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, says that private sector partners have expressed underwhelming levels of demand to the EBRD. Nevertheless, financing bankable Middle Corridor projects will be considered.

Also, Drakinos warns that the government is not doing enough to encourage investment in Middle Corridor infrastructure.

NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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The work of Serbian Post Kraljevo logistics centre restarts after overhaul

According to Serbian state-owned postal operator Posta Srbije, a regional logistics centre in the central city of Kraljevo restarted its work following a reconstruction.
As the postal operator said in a press release on Monday, Posta Srbije’s Kraljevo logistics centre is its fifth one in the country to introduce a robotic system for automatic sorting of postal items. The other four are in Nis, Novi Sad, Kragujevac, and Belgrade.
There are 42 robots, with a capacity of 2,500 postal items per hour, in the new system. Processing and delivery times have also become shorter.
According to Zoran Andjelkovic, Posta Srbije acting director, the strategic goal was to equip all large logistics centres with robots and make new technologies and artificial intelligence an integral part of business processes. Putting this centre into operation completes the robotisation process in all large centres.
As Andjelkovic also said, Posta Srbije will complete a tender for eDeliveries by the end of the year. It will facilitate its staff.
The Kraljevo logistics centre processed more than 900,000 postal items in January-September 2025. This result made it Posta Srbije’s fourth largest logistics centre, after Belgrade, Nis, and Novi Sad.
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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The trade terms for agricultural products with Ukraine will be reviewed by the EU in October.

As Roksolana Pidlasa, head of the parliamentary budget committee, said at the Ukrainian Exports Forum Through the Thorns to the EU, the Council of the European Union will examine the tariff quotas for certain Ukrainian agricultural exports on October 13. The new quotas, surpassing Ukraine’s maximum export limits under autonomous trade preferences, will cover 21 of the 34 existing categories. The EU confirmed its readiness for the review, according to Gediminas Navickas, the deputy head of the EU delegation to Ukraine.
Also, the government’s plans to raise quotas compared to 2021, including a 583.3% increase for honey, 500% for sugar and processed starch, 300% for eggs, 233.3% for butter, 153% for corn, 133.3% for poultry, 130% for wheat, and 125% for ethanol, have been announced.
Nevertheless, as MEP Karin Karlsbro pointed out, the “agricultural lobby” within the EU influences these high quotas and makes trade between Ukraine and the EU beneficial for both parties.
NH Logistics UKR has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Ukraine and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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71.1% of domestic exports are accounted for top ten trading partners

The exports of Georgia (excluding non-declared exports) attained USD 4 448.2 million, 6.7 percent higher year-on-year, in January-August 2025. The domestic exports rose by 3.1 percent compared to the same period of 2024. It had the share of 45.3 percent in total exports and reached USD 2 014.0 million.
In the reporting period, the top ten trading partners by domestic exports had the share of 71.1 percent in the total domestic exports of Georgia. Russia (USD 450.1 million), Türkiye (USD 185.6 million) and China (USD 177.9 million) were the top partners.
The first place in the list of top domestic export items was taken by precious metal ores and concentrates (USD 239.1 million,11.9 percent of total domestic exports). Then followed the domestic exports wine of fresh grapes (USD 164.9 million, 8.2 percent. The third place belonged to the domestic exports of spirituous beverages (USD 142.1 million, 7.1 percent).
NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Serbia’s trade deficit grew by 6% y/y in Jan-Aug

As the statistical office said on Tuesday, Serbia’s trade deficit increased by an annual 6% to 5.76 billion euro ($6.76 billion) in the first eight months of the year.
In the reporting period, exports grew by 8.6% on the year to 21.76 billion euro, while imports rose by 8% to 27.51 billion euro
Also, there was an increase of the export-import ratio in the review period rose to 79.1% from 78.7%.
Electrical machines (the total worth of 2.4 billion euro), non-ferrous metals (1.4 billion euro), metal ores and residues (1.3 billion euro), road vehicles (1.2 billion euro), and power-generating machinery and equipment (1.1 billion euro) were Serbia’s most exported products.
Simultaneously, Serbian electrical machines were also the most imported, at 1.8 billion euro. Then followed oil and oil derivatives (1.4 billion euro), medical and pharmaceutical products (1.36 billion euro), road vehicles (1.3 billion euro), and industrial machines (1.2 billion euro).
Germany (3.4 billion euro), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1.4 billion euro), and Italy (1.3 billon euro) were Serbia’s main export destinations in the reporting period. China (4 billion euro), Germany (3.2 billion euro), and Italy (1.8 billion euro) were Serbia’s main partners by imports.
In August, the decrease of imports attained 0.7% to 3.11 billion euro and the downfall of exports reached 2.6% on the year to 2.37 billion euro. That made a trade gap widen from a 698 million euro in the same month last year to 739 million euro.
Last year, the increase of Serbia’s trade gap was 3.8% (totally 8.54 billion euro).
NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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In January-August Georgia’s external merchandise trade reached at $16 250.8 mln

Georgia external merchandise trade (excluding non-declared trade) attained USD 16 250.8 million in January-August 2025 (8.8 percent higher year-on-year). The exports showed a 6.7 percent growth and reached 4 448.2 million, while the imports increased by 9.7 percent and attained USD 11 802.7 million. The share of the negative trade balance in external trade turnover (totally it was USD 7 354.5 million in January-August 2025) constituted 45.3 percent.

Kyrgyzstan (USD 943.1 million), Kazakhstan (USD 572.9 million) and Russia (USD 480.7 million) were the top ten Georgia’s trading partners by exports. Their share in the total exports of the country amounted to 79.8 percent in January-August 2025. The USA (USD 1 801.0 million), Türkiye (USD 1 779.8 million) and China (USD 1 225.1 million) were the top partners by imports in the reporting period. Their share in the total imports of Georgia was 71.3 percent.

Türkiye (USD 1 989.7 million), the USA (USD 1 863.5 million) and Russia (USD 1 705.5 million) were the top trading partners in January-August 2025 with the share of 68.7 percent in the total external trade turnover of Georgia.

Motor cars (USD 1 728.3 million, 38.9 percent of exports), precious metal ores and concentrates (USD 239.1 million, 5.4 percent of exports), spirituous beverages (USD 172.0 million, 3.9 percent of exports) were top export items in the reporting period.

Motor cars (USD 2 422.6 million, 20.5 percent of the total imports), petroleum and petroleum oils (USD 846.1 million, 7.2 percent of imports), paintings, drawings and pastels (USD 481.4 million, 4.1 percent of imports) were the top import commodities in January-August 2025.

NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Greece and Serbia strengthened economic and trade relations at a Business Forum

The Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EVEA), the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), Enterprise Greece, and the Greek Exporters’ Association (SEVE) organized the “Greece–Serbia Business Forum and B2B Meetings” on Tuesday in Athens.

According to Sofia Kounenaki Efraimoglou, EVEA’s first vice president, Greek exports to Serbia overpassed €400 million in 2024, and imports come close to €390 million.

As Enterprise Greece CEO Marinos Giannopoulos, SEV’s Vicky Makrygianni and Greek Foreign Ministry official and Ambassador Dimitris Karampalis said, the forum helps develop strategic partnerships in such crucial sectors as AI, energy, tourism, logistics and pharmaceuticals. According to SEVE’s Panagiotis Hasapis, bilateral trade attained €828.5 million. Such sectors as aluminum, food, plastics and machinery, infrastructure, digitalization and health sciences are especially important.

NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Digitalization of import, export and transit of goods will begin from 2027

They expect the implementation of the Draft Law on the National Single Counter System, which envisages the establishment of a centralized digital portal for the import, export and transit of goods to begin on 1 January 2027.

It means that the functioning of the system that will consolidate all procedures related to customs operations and decisions of the competent authorities, with the aim, as stated, of speeding up trade flows and reducing administrative barriers, will be regulated by this law.

Particularly, external users – companies, small businesses, individuals and state administration bodies – will be able to electronically submit applications, supplements to applications and other documents via the system. From the other side, the portal will receive and process submitted applications from internal users, namely competent authorities, manage their documentation exchange with other internal users and issue decisions in electronic form. The system will automatically record every decision, application or accompanying data, with a unique reference number for case identification.

The Customs Administration under the Ministry of Finance will operate the system, while all authorities involved in issuing decisions will have to align their information systems and ensure connectivity with the central portal.

According to the draft, there will be specific agreements concluded between the operator and internal users, as well as strict security measures, ranging from data storage in the state data center to mandatory backups and protection against cyber threats.

Also, the system will store documents, applications and decisions for ten years, and give the users the chance to pay fees and charges electronically, as well as receive certificates and notifications about the status of their cases automatically.

There are monetary fines previewed in the draft law for both internal and external users who fail to comply with obligations related to system connectivity, archiving or document exchange.

Legal entities will have to pay fines between 200,000 and 2,000,000 dinars, while responsible individuals – between 50,000 and 150,000 dinars.

As the explanatory notes claim, the National Single Window System will help increase efficiency and transparency, reduce business costs and ensure the smooth functioning of international trade in line with European and global standards.

NH Logistics SER has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Serbia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Cooperation between Georgia and Romania is discussed at a business meeting

The EU-Georgia Business Council (EUGBC) and the Georgian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce co-organized in Tbilisi a roundtable meeting between Georgian and Romanian business representatives. Opportunities for stronger cooperation in trade, investment, transport and energy were among discussed topics.
According to Romania’s Ambassador to Georgia, Razvan Rotundu, the shared culture and mentality, the position as Black Sea neighbors create the great potential for expanding bilateral ties.
As the ambassador also emphasized, the ferry link between the port of Poti and Constanța which has been operational for two years but remains underutilized, is significant. Also, a joint initiative of Georgia, Romania, Azerbaijan and Hungary which is expected to enhance energy security and establish a regional energy hub, as well as Romania’s support for the Black Sea submarine cable project, are important.
According to economic data, trade between Georgia and Romania is getting successful, demonstrating the growth of bilateral trade turnover from $134.9 million in January–July 2024 to $188.7 million in the same period this year.
Most of the trade is accounted for imports from Romania ($166.8 million in the first seven months of 2025). Romania is the second-largest oil supplier to Georgia after Russia with petroleum and petroleum products imports worth $132.6 million. Then follow manufactured tobacco ($6.1M), rubber tires ($3.6M), medicines ($2.2M), and cars ($1.9M).
There was a slight downfall of exports to Romania from $24.5 million in 2024 to $21.9 million this year. The leading export category was fertilizers ($16.8 million), then followed ferroalloys ($3M), amusement goods and games ($477K) and smaller shipments of machinery, brushes, detergents and mineral water.
Consistent volumes are shown by annual trade figures: $246.9 million in 2024, $244.2 million in 2023 and $314.7 million in 2022.
Nevertheless, Romania still doesn’t invest much in Georgia. In 2024, investments stood at $520,000, in 2023 a little more than $450,000 and just $143,000 in the first quarter of 2025.
However, tourism revenue is growing, though is still modest. There was a 6.7% year-on-year increase in the first half of 2025, when 3,860 Romanian tourists visited Georgia. The annual total grew up from 6,545 in 2023 and attained 8,246 travelers in 2024.
Both sides recognize actual opportunities to deepen economic relations, with strategic energy projects in talks and transport links like the Poti-Constanța ferry yet to reach their full potential. According to the results of today’s meeting, business-to-business relations expansion can broaden the cooperation, despite modest investment and tourism figures.
NH Logistics GEO has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Georgia and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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Decrease of grain exports from Russia and Ukraine

Russian and Ukrainian grain shipments demonstrated a sharp downfall year-on-year between January and August 2025.
According to Filipe Gouveia, Shipping Analysis Manager at BIMCO, Russian and Ukrainian grain shipments have decreased by 49% combined year-on-year between January and August 2025. The decrease of grain harvests by 12% and 6% respectively in the second half of 2024 caused a smaller export surplus of both countries. As a result, the combined production from both countries fell by 10%.
Consequently, Russian wheat export quota has been cut by 63% between February and June 2025.
Ukraine has maintained its seaborne shipments, but wheat and maize are now excluded from the the revised deal after the expiration of the EU’s tariff-free trade agreement for Ukrainian agricultural exports in June.
Last year, Russian and Ukrainian grain exports took the fourth and fifth places in the world. Russia was the leader in wheat exports, while Ukraine had the fourth place in maize and fifth in wheat exports. Nevertheless, Ukrainian wheat and maize yields dropped by 33% compared to the last harvest. Opposingly, there was a 9% increase of Russian wheat yields.
Gouveia says that an estimated 6% decline in global grain shipments between January and August 2025 happened because of weakened shipments out of Russia and Ukraine. However, shipments from the US, Canada, Australia, Argentina and Romania increased and have partially offset the weaker cargoes from Russia and Ukraine. Generally, demand for panamax, supramax and handysize ships has been negatively affected by this.
Ports in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Middle East have been the destination of 70% of grain shipments from Russia and Ukraine this year. This shows a 13 percentage points raise compared to the previous year, opposite to a 62% drop year-on-year of shipments to East Africa and to South, Southeast and East Asia.
According to Gouveia, they expect a partial recovery in Russian and Ukrainian grain shipments over the next twelve months. The USDA also anticipates a 19% surge in Ukrainian maize yields. Nevertheless, an expected 2% increase in Russian yields wheat and an 8% decline in Ukraine may make shipments remain stable. In general, they expect grain production of the both countries to fall by 6% compared to pre-war levels.
NH Logistics UKR has been offering IOR Importer of Record and EOR Exporter of Record services since 2001 and is a market leader in Ukraine and Eurasia, supporting many clients with their import/export shipments.

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