Georgia's Batumi port posts 20.4pc fall yr/yr in Jan-Apr oil shipments      

The terminal, operated by Kazakh state energy firm KazMunaiGas , shipped 3.377 million tonnes of oil and oil products last year, down from 3.616 million tonnes in 2015.

The official gave no reason for the fall.

Shipments in April declined to 249,738 tonnes from 320,470 tonnes a year earlier, but rose from 248,723 tonnes in March this year, the official, who asked not to be identified, said.

Crude and refined oil products from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan are shipped out of Georgia's Black Sea ports of Batumi, Supsa, Poti and the terminal in Kulevi.

Some products are shipped across the Caspian Sea in small tankers, unloaded in the Azeri port of Baku and then sent by rail to Georgian ports for export to the Mediterranean.