MOSCOW, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan's oil and refined
products exports via Georgia's Black Sea ports in 2022 jumped
tenfold from the previous year, according to Reuters
calculations based on the data provided by traders and freight
forwarders.
Supplies of Kazakhstan's crude and oil products to global
markets via Georgia rose as the landlocked nation of Central
Asia sought to sidestep disruptions to the CPC pipeline and the
risks of transit via Russia, which was being sanctioned by the
West.
According to the data obtained by Reuters, transhipments of
crude oil, refined products and LPG of Kazakhstan origin in
Georgia's ports in 2022 rose to 1.328 million tonnes from 0.135
million tonnes in 2021.
Oil terminals in the port of Batumi, owned by Kazakhstan's
state oil firm Kazmunaigaz (KMG), have handled the lion's share
of Kazakhstan's energy flows via Georgia in 2022.
"Batumi is an alternative (to Russian ports), and exports
via this route have grown due to sanctions, while the economy
doesn't play a role," one trader said.
The jump of Kazakhstan energy exports via Georgia was driven
by a sharp rise of fuel oil shipments. Transit of the product
surged to 0.87 million tonnes from 0.05 million tonnes in 2021,
freight forwarders' data showed.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by David Gregorio)
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