The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia has stated that reports regarding the return of the Russian cruise liner Astoria Grande to the port of Batumi are untrue.
The agency noted that attempts to disseminate such reports are misleading and aimed at creating public tension and speculation.
The statement emphasized that there is currently neither a confirmed application for the Astoria Grande to enter the port of Batumi nor any pending request for its arrival.
“All procedures in Georgia’s maritime sector are carried out in full compliance with the requirements of current legislation, international obligations, security, border control, and sanctions compliance.
We urge all interested parties to refrain from disseminating unverified information and to rely only on official sources,” the Agency stated.
It should be noted that information suggesting the Russian cruise liner Astoria Grande might return to the port of Batumi was also circulated in June 2025.
At that time, the website indicated that the first cruise was scheduled for April 18–25 (on the Sochi – Istanbul – Amasra – Batumi – Sochi route), and the second for May 26–30 (on the Sochi – Trabzon – Batumi – Sochi route).
The Astoria Grande first arrived in Batumi in July 2023, carrying Russian tourists and artists known for their support of the Russian President and the war in Ukraine. At that time, the liner was met with protests: students, opposition figures, and civil activists gathered at the Batumi port.
On July 31, 2023, 23 protesters were detained during a demonstration against the Astoria Grande’s stop in Batumi. The press center of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that they were all charged with petty hooliganism (Article 116) and failure to comply with the lawful orders of law enforcement officers (Article 173) under the Code of Administrative Offenses.
The protest against the cruise liner sparked a wave of criticism from Russian officials and state media. Irakli Kobakhidze, then chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party and now Prime Minister, also criticized the protesters.
He stated that such protests cause the country to lose money, noting that a visit by the cruise liner leaves “about 350,000 lari” in Georgia.
