Ukrainian company launches regular ferry service between Bulgaria and Georgia

On January 14, Ukrferry launched a ferry service from Varna to Batumi. It is planned that the Vilnius ferry will operate weekly flights.

This is stated in the schedule on the Ukrferry website, CTS writes.

The Vilnius ferry, which can take on board 50 universal railway cars and 50 heavy-duty TIR trucks at the same time, made a trip from Varna (Bulgaria) to Batumi (Georgia) and back.

On January 21, the Panamanian-flagged ship set off for Georgia again.

Regarding the first trip, the Bulgarian media wrote that the ferry of the Ukrainian company, “which quietly saved its ships from the war in the country,” could allegedly pose a threat to the Varna ferry complex.

“Many years ago, the ferry was not allowed to enter the terminal for technical reasons, since its width exceeded the permissible one. However, Vilnius has now inexplicably ended up in Varna, and the mooring maneuver at the terminal is endangering the infrastructure,” Bulgarian media reports say.

In particular, it was reported that the Vilnius ferry was at the Varna Shipbuilding and Repair Plant. Later, the Bulgarian maritime agent Vart BG assured that the vessel had passed all possible checks and there were no technical problems with its maintenance at the Varna Ferry Complex.

It is also known that after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ukrferry tried to establish a joint service with the Bulgarian Ro-Ro operator connecting the port of Burgas with Poti. It even operated a flight between Poti and Constanta, but it never managed to stay on this route.

As USM previously reported, Ukrferry planned to resume ferry service on the Chornomorsk-Batumi route in the summer of 2024. However, the expected resumption never took place.