BATUMI International Container Terminal (BICT), International Container Terminal Services Inc.'s (ICTSI) business unit at the Port of Batumi in Georgia, will be offering customers enhanced connectivity to North Africa and Spain via Mediterranean Shipping Co.'s (MSC) enhanced Batumi–Gioia Tauro service starting mid-April.

MSC's improved service will make weekly calls to and from Batumi, following a new rotation that includes additional direct ports and decreased transit times. The service will sail through the following ports: Tekirdağ–Derince–Aliaga–Marsaxlokk–Algiers–Casablanca–Sines–Valencia–Gioia Tauro–Burgas–Batumi.

"MSC's enhanced service can help boost Georgia's foreign trade by establishing a direct link with North Africa, Portugal and Spain. The addition of direct ports gives businesses access to more locations, opening new trade routes and providing more options for shipping goods between Batumi and Gioia Tauro," said Nikoloz Gogoli, BICT's chief executive officer.

BICT's customers can leverage the service's expanded connectivity to gain a competitive advantage, identify potential customers and explore new market opportunities. The fast transit times to and from Turkey and the Mediterranean Sea allow businesses to receive goods more quickly, reducing lead times and improving supply chain efficiency across the regions.