Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia

What Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia does

The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia is a State Legal Entity of Public Law (SSIP) operating under the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development as Georgia's designated national maritime authority. The agency administers flag and port state control, vessel registration under the Georgian flag, seafarer certification in compliance with the STCW 78 convention, ISPS Code implementation at ports, maritime search and rescue coordination, vessel traffic monitoring, and oil spill response across Georgian territorial waters. It maintains Port State Control and Supervision Services at three active Georgian ports — Batumi, Poti (also covering Supsa), and Kulevi — with headquarters in Tbilisi.

The agency operates a digital platform stack headlined by the National Maritime Single Window (NMSW) for paperless vessel documentation, the Port Community System (PCS) for unified port operations implemented from October 2023, and an electronic certificate verification system launched February 1, 2024 featuring QR codes and Unique Tracking Numbers (UTN-MTAcertID-000000). Supporting capabilities include 24-hour GMDSS radio watch in A1 and A2 sea areas, a Ship Reporting System for vessel traffic monitoring, oil spill response equipment, and a computer-based seafarer examination testing system developed with Ocean Technologies Group. The agency has held ISO 9001:2015 certification since 2012 (audited by TUV NORD), is a member of the Black Sea Memorandum of Understanding for port state control coordination, and joined BIMCO in 2022.

The agency's revenue model is regulatory rather than commercial: services are funded primarily through Georgian state budget allocation, with mandated user fees set by Order No. 1-1/592 of the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development ranging from 15 GEL for expedited qualification certificates to 18,060 GEL for maritime training institution recognition. Its customer base spans Georgian-flagged commercial vessels, Georgian and foreign seafarers, 9 named ports and terminals, maritime educational institutions, and international maritime bodies. The agency participates in annual GEO SAR and OSR EX exercises with Black Sea neighbors and contributes to IMO committees, including director-level representation on the IMO Legal Committee.

Name

Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia

Legal name

სსიპ საზღვაო ტრანსპორტის სააგენტო

Website

https://mta.gov.ge

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia is the state's national maritime regulator under the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, administering vessel registration, seafarer certification under STCW, port state control, ISPS security, and 24/7 search and rescue coordination for Georgian-flagged vessels and three Georgian ports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Regulatory Services

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (92612), Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Navigational Services to Shipping (488330), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Transportation Regulators (Aviation, Maritime, Rail, Road) (BPAIAOAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ship & Port Security Audits, Inspections & Certification (Flag/Class/PSC Support) (TLAHANAD), Port Dues, Permitting & Regulatory Clearances (TLAHAFAD), Regulatory & Sanctions Compliance Screening for Maritime Operations (Trade Controls, AML) (TLAHANAL), Trade, Import/Export Controls & Sanctions Regulators (BPAIAOAO)

Keywords

• Maritime regulatory services
• Vessel flag registration
• Seafarer certification
• Port state control
• Maritime safety enforcement

Headquarters

HQ city

Bat'umi

HQ country

Georgia

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia is the national maritime administration operating as a State Legal Entity of Public Law (SSIP) under the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. It regulates the maritime sector by issuing vessel registration under the Georgian flag, certifying seafarers under STCW conventions, conducting port state control inspections, enforcing ISPS Code compliance, coordinating maritime search and rescue operations, monitoring vessel traffic, and providing oil spill response capabilities. It also operates digital platforms including the National Maritime Single Window (NMSW) and Port Community System (PCS) for electronic document and certificate management.

Product overview

The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia operates as a unified platform providing maritime administrative services including vessel registration, seafarer certification, and port state control. The agency manages several interconnected digital systems including the National Maritime Single Window System (NMSW) for port digitalization and transit facilitation, the Ports Combined System (PCS) for unified port operations, and the BLUE PORTS environmental initiative. Supporting services include online certificate verification, examination testing through Ocean Technologies Group partnership, and ship registration management under Georgian flag.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vessel Registration
• Seafarer Certification Services
• Port State Control Services
• National Maritime Single Window System (NMSW)
• Port Community System (PCS)
• BLUE PORTS Environmental Initiative
• Certificate Verification System
• Examination Testing System

Quantifiable outcome

• Georgian-flagged vessels verified globally via electronic certificate QR verification system launched February 1, 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Georgia joined BIMCO as a member state in 2022. BIMCO is one of the largest maritime-commercial associations globally, with members representing 60% of world shipping tonnage. The partnership provides access to information exchange, advisory services, and supports harmonization and standardization of commercial shipping practices and contracts.
• International Maritime Organization (IMO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe agency actively participates in IMO committees and working groups. Director Ivane Abashidze served as Vice Chairman of the IMO Legal Committee (2021-2024) and chaired working groups on the 2001 Bunkers Convention and IOPCF Convention. Georgia participates in the IMO's GloMEEP project (Global Maritime Energy Efficiency). The agency actively contributes to development and implementation of mandatory IMO maritime instruments.
• Black Sea Memorandum of Understanding (BS MoU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSigned April 7, 2000 in Istanbul. Member states include Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Georgia. Coordinates port state control inspections across the Black Sea region, shares vessel inspection data through a centralized database, and harmonizes inspection procedures. Georgia operates Port State Control services in Batumi, Poti (covering Supsa), and Kulevi ports.
• TUV NORDcoreTechnology or IntegrationGerman international certification company that has awarded and audits the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system certification to the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia since 2024. Conducts annual external surveillance audits to verify compliance with international quality standards.
• Government of Georgia (gov.ge)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe agency operates under the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia as a legal entity under public law (SSIP). The government provides legislative mandate, regulatory oversight, and budgetary support for the agency.
• Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of GeorgiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent ministry that oversees the Maritime Transport Agency. Sets policy direction, approves service fees via Order No. 1-1/592, and coordinates overall maritime sector policy including bilateral and multilateral maritime agreements.
• Education Quality Development National Center of GeorgiaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerResponsible for authorization of higher educational institutions and accreditation of educational programs in Georgia. The Maritime Transport Agency participates in councils and processes for maritime educational institutions' authorization and program accreditation.
• Black Sea Region Maritime AdministrationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual and biennial joint maritime exercises including GEO SAR and OSREX series (2011, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025) and participation in international exercises for search and rescue coordination with neighboring Black Sea countries.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Transport Malta: Malta's integrated transport regulator covering maritime safety, seafarer certification, and port state control; a comparable-sized flag-state administration in the Mediterranean that operates digital certificate systems (STCW). Comparable in operating model and small-state flag registry dynamics.
• Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA): Australian federal agency responsible for maritime safety, environmental protection, SAR, and seafarer certification; comparable scope of regulatory mandate including electronic certificate systems and 24/7 response coordination.
• Liberia Maritime Authority: Administers one of the world's largest open ship registries (Liberian flag) with similar flag-state and seafarer certification functions; comparable revenue model based on registration and certification fees.
• Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator (IRI): Administers the Marshall Islands ship registry, the third-largest flag in the world; similar fee-based revenue model dependent on vessel registration and seafarer certification volumes.
• Cyprus Department of Merchant Shipping: Cyprus's flag state and port state control administration, one of the largest ship registries globally — comparable in serving as a smaller-state flag administration with international vessel registration focus.
• Norwegian Maritime Authority: Norway's national maritime administration performing flag state, port state control, and seafarer certification under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries — direct functional peer in regulatory mandate and ISO-quality framework.
• Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UK MCA): UK's national maritime administration under the Department for Transport, performing flag state, port state control, seafarer certification, and SAR — the closest functional equivalent to the Georgian agency among major maritime administrations.
• Panama Maritime Authority (AMP): Administers the world's largest ship registry; provides flag state, port state control, and seafarer certification — direct functional peer in commercial flag administration model.

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore: Major classification society recognized by the Georgian agency as a Recognized Organization; performs statutory surveys, ISM/ISPS audits, and certification on behalf of flag administrations — adjacent/ecosystem participant to the agency's regulatory oversight role.

Regional players

• Turkish Maritime Administration (Denizcilik Genel Müdürlüğü): Turkey's national maritime administration under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure; BS MoU counterpart (BS MoU founding member 2000) and the largest maritime neighbor in the Black Sea.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MTA_Georgia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCnO9gjKS6ClMLZdSzsNUMeQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/maritimegeorgia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maritime-transport-agency-of-georgia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia