CONTEMPORARY STATISTICAL TRENDS OF FOREIGN TRADE BY SEA TRANSPORT BY COUNTRY GROUPS

Nino Abesadze E-mail: nino.abesadze@tsu.ge Associate Professor, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisis State University Tbilisi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6564-2771   Otar Abesadze E-mail: o.abesadze@gmail.com Associate Professor, Georgian National University SEU Tbilisi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1644-4995   Nino Paresashvili E-mail: nino.paresashvili@tsu.ge Associate Professor, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisis State university Tbilisi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7645-6491   Natalia Robitashvili E-mail: nato.robitashvili@bsu.edu.ge Associate Professor, Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University Batumi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7645-6491   Abstract. At the modern stage of economic development, under the conditions of deepening globalization, the use of correct logistics is becoming more and more relevant, which plays an important role in the development of trade relations between countries and ensuring correct fragmentation of the economy. Today, the situation is such that the presence of certain threats in sea transportation determines the high risk of the possibility of an increase in transportation prices, which is why its influence on price volatility is quite strong. Based on the current situation, the research of maritime logistics issues is becoming more and more relevant in this regard, because the analysis of quantitative indicators of shipments, determination of risk expectations, detection of trends, identification of problems, etc. is an indicator of increasing the effectiveness of maritime logistics. This issue becomes even more important when the issue concerns the activation of trade relations with groups of different countries of the world by sea transport. This process is actively taking place in Georgia today, which is a prerequisite for diversification of transportation by different types of transport and increasing its intensity in the future, and there are signs of this in the country.   As of today, the geographical area of trade relations of Georgia in terms of types of transport is wide, although the quantitative characteristics of foreign trade are differentiated according to individual countries and groups of countries. The main goal of the paper was to identify and analyze the statistical trends of Georgia's foreign trade relations with EU, CIS, BSEC, OECD, GUAM, and EFTA countries. During the stages of statistical research, the methods of statistical observation, gathering-grouping, and analysis are used in the research process. Therefore, the article discusses studies and analyzes the dynamics of foreign trade relations of Georgia with EU, CIS, BSEC, OECD, GUAM, and EFTA countries groups by sea transport. The main statistical indicators of foreign trade turnover, export-import, local export re-export, and the characteristics of the commodity structure are analyzed according to all indicators. The main statistical trends of foreign trade with non-specified country groups are identified and regularities are established. Relevant conclusions are made. Conclusions. Foreign trade relations in Georgia are primarily carried out by road transport, although marine transport with a 32.6% share firmly occupies the second place in dynamics;In exports, the advantage of the use of road transport is evident, compared to imports. EU, CIS, BSEC, OECD, GUAM, EFTA countries, the rate of foreign trade by sea transport is increasing;In 2016-2023, on average, the share of the EU in foreign trade by country groups increased by 5.3%.Changing trends are observed in case of exports of EU, BSEC, OECD countries groups.   From 2019, the predominant growth of the BSEC indicator was revealed, but in 2023, the EU was again the highest indicator with a share of 67.4%9 in export relations.In the case of imports to the EU, CIS, BSEC, OECD, GUAM, EFTA countries, there is a pronounced trend: the European Union is the undisputed leader in the group of mentioned countries. In 2016-2023, the EU's share of maritime transport imports grew by an average of 2.6% annually. The growth of EU indicators is recorded in local exports, while a completely different picture was revealed in re-exports of sea transport, due to the intensification of trade relations with the CIS countries.From these EU, CIS, BSEC, OECD, GUAM, EFTA countries, Motor cars, Petroleum and petroleum oils are the most imported to Georgia, the share of which in imports is 68% and 32%. Copper ores and concentrates are the most exported, whose share in the motor exports of EU, CIS, BSEC, OECD, GUAM, EFTA is 38% and 17%. No significant changes have been observed in the commodity structure of both exports and imports in recent years.   Key words: Trends, Sea Transport, Export, Import, Country Groups.   JEL classification: C0