In Batumi, the National Environment Agency issued the necessary permission for the environmental decision on the arrangement of an artificial island in the Black Sea by Ambassador Batumi Island LLC.
Ambassadori Batumi Island is one of the largest investment projects in the region, entailing the creation of two artificial peninsulas and one island featuring resorts geared toward wellness and recreation in the Batumi seaside area, in the 2.5×1.5-kilometer coastal water zone of the settlements of Bartskhana and Tamari, as well as the construction of relevant infrastructure at the given locations.
The National Environment Agency notes that, taking into account the scale and importance of the project of arranging an artificial island in the Black Sea, as well as in order to ensure maximum transparency, the National Environment Agency has been regularly making public information about the administrative proceedings conducted on said project.
On November 24, 2023, Ambassador Batumi Island LLC presented to the National Agency of the Environment of the Republic of Georgia an environmental impact assessment report on the arrangement of an artificial island in the marine aquatoria in Batumi, and the attached documentation, as required by legislation.
Within the framework of the proceedings, the agency created an expert commission, ensuring the involvement of relevant agencies in the administrative proceedings.
The agency out administrative proceedings on hold on April 19, 2024, requesting that the company submit additional/corrected documentation related to the project. The revised documentation was also made public, and a deadline for submission of comments/opinions was set for interested parties. The information was then forwarded to the expert commission for review and a presentation of relevant conclusions.
At the production stage, Terminal 1 LLC wrote to the agency, claiming the construction/arrangement of the island was unacceptable in its current form, since the project area of the island would affect international maritime traffic coming to berth at Terminal 1, and would impact the route of entry, maneuvering and berthing of ships. They also claimed it posed a threat to the safe operation of the terminal. Based on the above, on August 2, 2024, the agency again put administrative proceedings on hold and asked Ambassador Batumi Island LLC to provide detailed information/documentation regarding the issues raised.
Terminal 1 LLC additionally applied to the Agency on August 5. Since the issues raised in the letters were beyond the scope of the EIA and, accordingly, the competence of the National Environment Agency, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia was informed and asked to provide detailed opinions.
The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, taking into account the distance between Terminal 1 and Ambassador Batumi Island LLC, concluded that the entry and exit of tankers will not be restricted to the berth used by Terminal 1, and that the construction planned for Batumi Island and its further operation will not pose a threat to the operation of port infrastructure under the operation of Terminal 1 LLC, including the safe entry/exit of ships in the terminal’s waters. Taking into account the above, and based on a letter of August 12, 2024, the administrative proceedings for the island were continued.
As a result of reconciliation of the conclusions of the expert commission following review of the presented information/documentation and evaluation of the existing documentation, Ambassador Batumi Island LLC issued an environmental decision on the arrangement of the artificial island in the Black Sea. It also reflected the reasoned remarks/opinions presented by the public.
“An artificial island similar to Palma will be built in Batumi. It will be a unique project in its significance, and we will be able to keep up with the world progress and create a new tourist location on the coast. This, of course, will create new economic opportunities and jobs,” Head of the Government of Adjara, Tornike Rizhvadze, noted when the project was announced in 2021.
Construction work is ongoing.
