June – 18 – Evergreen Line is pleased to announce the launch of its new East Black Sea (EBS) service, aimed at improving the line’s service coverage in the region, particularly to/from the port of Poti (Georgia).
Evergreen will operate this new weekly service jointly with United Feeder Services (UFS). The partners will operate two vessels, the 971teu BFP MELODY and the 1,155 teu MURAT K respectively.
The first sailing of the BFP MELODY is planned from Piraeus week commencing 17 June; the service’s port rotation subsequently being Istanbul, Poti, Novorossiysk and Piraeus.
Poti is a significant addition to Evergreen’s global port network serving as it does the country of Georgia and the surrounding territories. Located between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, Georgia provides a natural corridor to the markets of neighbouring countries’ thanks to its improved road and rail connections.
According to the IMF’s World Economic Outlook report published in March, Georgia is forecast to attain economic growth rates of 6% in 2013 thus encouraging Evergreen’s strategy of network expansion to/from this part of the Black Sea region.
In addition, the EBS service will offer a second weekly Evergreen call at Novorossiysk; the other already provided by the line’s BSF service, which also links the Russian port with Istanbul and Piraeus.