Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

Natural Disasters

Type	Occurs	Comments / Details
Drought	Yes	The most severe drought in recent memory occurred in 2000, impacting around 300,000 individuals. As Armenia’s National Action Program of Adaptation to Climate Change highlights, high frequency and magnitude of hazardous hydrometeorological phenomena are characteristic for Armenia, which trigger droughts.
Earthquakes	Yes	Armenia, monitored by the National Survey for Seismic Protection (NSSP), experiences an average of 15 seismic events monthly. While earthquakes could potentially affect any part of the country, historical patterns have revealed major incidents primarily in the northern region, like the Spitak earthquake in 1988, and in the southern region, with significant tremors occurring in the late 1960s in Syunik. The seismic hazard map, a crucial component of Armenia's risk management strategy, is informed by the Hazard Matrix developed by the Armenian Rescue Services (ARS) and the State Academy of Crisis Management (SACM) in 2016. This matrix categorizes ten regions (marzes) and Yerevan city by seismic risk levels, ranking them from zero (no risk) to one (high risk). It is a foundational tool for understanding and mitigating earthquake threats, indicating Yerevan and Shirak as zones with the highest risk levels, each scoring 1.0 on the earthquake risk scale. This aligns with concerns that a major earthquake in Yerevan could lead to high casualties, considering the prevalent construction vulnerabilities. The NSSP's monitoring capabilities extend to providing detailed assessments of potential damage and casualties for settlements across Armenia. This was particularly relevant in 2023, when a notable surge in seismic activity was recorded, with 69 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or higher detected within a 300-kilometer radius of Armenia. Of these, the most potent tremor registered a magnitude of 5.9. Furthermore, data from earthquaketrack.com shows that within the past year, Armenia experienced 19 earthquakes with a magnitude of 1.5 or greater. The most significant earthquake in the last decade occurred on February 23, with a magnitude of 6.0, striking approximately 188 km south of Yerevan at a shallow depth of 10 km.
Epidemics	No	in January 2020, Armenia, like many other countries, has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The most recent significant wave of COVID-19 in Armenia occurred in the early months of 2023. During this period, there was a notable increase in cases and deaths. By April 13, 2024, the country had reported a total of 451,831 cases and 8,777 deaths, with 435,162 recoveries.
Extreme Temperatures	Yes	Armenia is highly vulnerable to climate change and desertification, as stated in its National Action Program. Projections suggest a further rise of 4.7°C in temperatures and an 8.3% decrease in precipitation by 2100. These changes will impact natural systems, water resources, agriculture, health, and infrastructure. Climate experts note that Armenia's temperature increase, and precipitation decrease exceed the global average.
Flooding	yes	Although Armenia does not have abundant flowing surface water, more than 50 percent of annual discharge occurs during spring due to snow melting. This can increase water volume in some river basins tenfold, and can also trigger seasonal flooding, particularly in the Araks, Hrazdan, and Aghstev river basins (World Bank 2009). According to experts, heavy rains will become more frequent in the spring, which cause damage and can result in floods (evnreport). In May 2024, torrential rains have swollen rivers in the northern Armenian provinces of Lori and Tavush, killing at least four people in the country's worst flooding in decades. A bridge across the Debed River in the town of Alaverdi has collapsed. Hundreds of people have been evacuated in the region, which has also seen water, electricity, and gas services disrupted. The flooding has also affected transport connections with neighboring Georgia as well as a part of the railway was destroyed.
Insect Infestation	No
Mudslides	yes	Armenia is also prone to landslides that can be secondary effects of earthquakes or heavy precipitation. Back in October 2011, a landslide occurred on the highway through Debed river gorge, a critical transport link between Armenia and Georgia. This incident was preceded by a traffic jam caused by a truck crash, leading to vibrations that officials suggest triggered the landslide. Reportedly, up to 35 vehicles were buried under the landslide. The highway closure affects crucial transport routes, disrupting logistics between Armenia and Georgia.
Volcanic Eruptions	No
High Waves / Surges	No
Wildfires	No
High Winds	No

 

Man-Made Issues

Type	Occurs	Comments / Details
Civil Strife	Yes	Civil strife looms over Armenia following the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and subsequent population exile in September 2023. This displacement has sparked social and economic tensions, exacerbating existing grievances and potentially fuelling unrest. Political dissatisfaction, alongside with sophisticated relationship between authorities and opposition, make the internal situation fragile and exposed to political and civil turbulences. For this assessment, it has been decided to consider it a nation-wide problem. Another wave of protests erupted in early May 2024, against the backdrop of delimiting the international borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This process received mixed reactions from Armenian society, as many doubted that Azerbaijan would reciprocate by withdrawing its troops after Armenia pulled back from certain border sections. On May 9, the protests escalated when Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, the leader of the protest, demanded that Prime Minister Pashinyan resign within the hour, a call that was ignored by the government. The rally on May 9 is considered the largest protest since 2018, when Nikol Pashinyan came to power amid a wave of demonstrations. At the time of developing this assessment, protests were still ongoing, marked by acts of peaceful disobedience.
International Conflict	yes	The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was an ethnic and territorial conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians until 2023. In late 2020, the large-scale Second Nagorno-Karabakh War resulted in thousands of casualties and a significant Azerbaijani victory. An armistice was established by a tripartite ceasefire agreement on November 10, resulting in Azerbaijan regaining all of the occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh as well as capturing one-third of Nagorno-Karabakh itself. Ceasefire violations in Nagorno-Karabakh and on the Armenian–Azerbaijani border continued following the 2020 war. Azerbaijan began blockading Artsakh in December 2022, and launched a large-scale military offensive in September 2023, resulting in the surrender of the Artsakh authorities. Most ethnic Armenians fled,https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagorno-Karabakh_conflict  and Artsakh was officially dissolved on 1 January 2024. Besides, after the 44-day war in 2020, the rise of tension and increase of deadly armed incidents between AR and AZ were observed on the international borders as well.
Internally Displaced Persons	No
Refugees Present	yes	According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Since the escalation in Sep 2023 of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. Over 101,000 refugees fled their homes (the entire ethnic Armenian population). During the conflicts with Azerbaijan the international community provided support to 350,000 Armenian refugees from Armenian areas near the border with Azerbaijan, Karabakh itself, ethnic Armenians living in Baku and, to some extent, other towns in Azerbaijan. It also provided support to 500,000 Azeri refugees in Karabakh.
Landmines / UXO Present	No
Nuclear Accident	yes	The country’s sole nuclear power station is located at METZAMOR, approximately 30 km west of Yerevan. According to an official assessment, a major contamination threat following an accident could result in up to 180,000 of the population of a surrounding area within a radius of 16 km being affected. Seismic activity in the area is monitored continuously by NSSP. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the nuclear power plant is located in an area identified as a High-risk hazard for earthquake probability. If seismic activity were to damage the power station, the resulting consequences would be disastrous. Depending on wind direction, there might be a necessity to evacuate the entire population of Yerevan. The main international airport's accessibility and the only rail connection with Georgia would suffer significant disruption.
Other Comments

 

For a more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the https://www.emdat.be/

 

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities

Seasonal Effects on Transport

Transport Type	Time Frame	Comments / Details
Primary Road Transport	From October to March	The northern and southern parts of the country, which provide the sole communication routes to Georgia and Iran are mountainous with many winding passes. Weather conditions in these areas during the winter months (late October to the end of March) can result in difficult vehicular traffic, with snow, ice and fog common on high passes.
Secondary Road Transport	Springtime	The flooding in May 2024 has also affected transport connections with neighboring Georgia as well as a part of the railway was destroyed.
Rail Transport	Springtim	The flooding in May 2024 destroyed part of the railway
Air Transport	N/A	N/A
Waterway Transport	N/A	N/A

 

Armenia is in subtropics, however, because of the high-mountainous character the climate here is rather dry continental with hot summers (average temperature +25 С) and cold winters (average temperature -6C). Due to snowfalls, there are usually problems with traffic during Autumn-Winter months in the Primary Roads. 

Seasonal Effects on Storage and Handling

Activity Type	Time Frame	Comments / Details
Storage	From October to March	-Economic Impact: Winter reduces agricultural production, lowering demand for perishable storage but increasing it for preserved goods. Businesses stockpile supplies for colder months, altering storage needs. -Social Impact: Rural areas may face labor shortages as people seek indoor activities or alternative income, impacting storage manpower availability. -Climate-related Impact: Heavy snowfall hinders access to storage facilities, challenging transportation and operations. Extreme cold may necessitate extra insulation or heating for stored goods.
	From May to September	-Economic Impact: Increased agricultural production during the summer harvest spikes demand for storage space to store fresh produce. -Social Impact: Rural areas face labor shortages for storage operations as people prioritize fieldwork and harvesting. Also, a significant part of the male population, particularly in the provinces, leaves to work in Russia -Climate-related Impact: High temperatures hasten perishable goods' decay, requiring efficient cooling and ventilation in storage. Drought-prone regions may suffer water scarcity, affecting irrigation and crop yields, altering storage needs.
Handling	From October to March	-Economic Impact: Cold weather may decrease overall economic activity, affecting demand for handling services. However, indoor handling activities like repackaging may increase as businesses prepare for reduced harvests. -Social Impact: Rural areas may lack labor for handling tasks due to indoor employment preferences or transportation issues caused by snow and ice. -Climate-related Impact: Heavy snowfall hampers goods transportation, causing delays in handling. Cold temperatures may require special handling for sensitive commodities.
	From May to September	-Economic Impact: Summer, especially during harvest, boosts agricultural activity, increasing demand for handling services. -Social Impact: In rural areas, where agricultural activities are prevalent, there may be a temporary surge in the availability of labor for handling tasks as individuals engage in harvesting and post-harvest activities. -Climate-related Impact: High temperatures challenge perishable goods handling, requiring efficient cooling.

 

In Armenia, seasonal fluctuations profoundly impact various commodity handling and storage activities, particularly in industries like agriculture and tourism. With winter's onset, agricultural produce, such as fruits and vegetables, experiences a decline in availability, necessitating a shift in focus towards preserved goods. Commodity handling facilities often see a surge in demand for repackaging and processing services during this period as businesses prepare for reduced harvests.  To mitigate the impact of these seasonal bottlenecks, businesses often opt to pre-stock their inventories before the onset of winter, ensuring a steady supply chain and averting potential shortages during peak demand periods. This proactive approach helps in maintaining operational efficiency and meeting consumer demands effectively, even amidst challenging seasonal fluctuations.

It is worth noting a critical impact of deteriorating road conditions, compounded by heavy snowfalls and icy conditions, which pose significant challenges to supply chain logistics, necessitating careful planning and coordination to ensure the timely delivery of essential commodities to vulnerable communities. Besides creating difficulties and delaying supplies, bad road conditions create additional risk of damages of the transported goods.

As for a summer period, commodity handling and storage activities face challenges such as scorching temperatures, necessitating adequate cooling facilities, and a shortage of daily workers in rural areas due to agricultural engagements.

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

GOVERNMENT

Rep. of Armenia legislation provides regulatory coverage of around 80% of disaster management sphere.

RA laws "On Protecting Population in Emergencies", "On Fire Safety", "On Hydro-Meteorological Activity", "On Seismic Protection", "On Civil Protection", "On State Regulation for Technical Safety", "On Armenian Rescue Service" and "On Units of Civil Protection" providing regulation for the sphere and numerous other relevant laws have been adopted. (see: www.laws.am) Disaster management sphere is also regulated at sub-legislative level: several hundreds of Government and Prime-Ministerial Decrees and Orders of the heads of other agencies are in effect. At present, according to the Laws "On Protecting Population in Emergencies", "On Civil Protection" and other laws of RA, the disaster management system includes state government agencies, local governments and organizations.

The authorities of ministries and other agencies are clearly specified at legislative and sub legislative levels, both in general terms and in relation to specific phenomena causing potential emergencies.

The legislation of RA specifies the competences of the republican authorized executive agency in the sphere of emergencies: The Rescue Service under Interior Ministry and the powers of its subordinate agencies. This provides an almost full coverage of the framework for emergency prevention, mitigation and recovery.

The activities and powers of regional authorities are fully and clearly specified. For prompt and efficient emergency management, mitigation and recovery, the right to give direct instructions to regional sub-divisions of republican executive agencies has been reserved to regional authorities by laws and sub legislation acts.

The diagram below demonstrates that the united system of disaster management (DM) includes republican and regional government agencies, local self-government bodies, enterprises, institutions and organizations, as well as non-governmental organizations. The main purpose of the system is protection of population in the whole country through legal and organizational complex activities.

 

 

 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List

HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY

UNDP Disaster Management Team (DMT) co-chairs Donor Coordination group on disaster management with the Rescue Service since 2008; as of March 2009, this group was merged with the Disaster Management Team (DMT), chaired by the UN Resident Coordinator and comprising of all UN agencies, Ministry of ES /Rescue Service, Armenian Red Cross, interested donor agencies and international and local NGOs.

While the focus of the DMT is on disaster preparedness and response, it also provides room for programmatic discussions, and thus is considered the only coordination and information exchange forum in disaster management. Cooperation Agreement between ARS and the UN DMT signed in October 2007 on defining roles and responsibilities of both UN DMT and the ARS in two phases: preparedness and actual emergency.

The ICRC has contingency storage areas in Syunik, Kapan, and Yeghegnadzor. Additionally, as part of its earthquake preparedness measures, the ICRC has established an agreement with the Erebuni Medical Centre (“National Centre for Medicine and Medical Supply Provision," operates as a non-profit organization under the auspices of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia.

) For helicopter evacuation to mobilize staff in emergencies only.

The ICRC owns trucks for emergency response and internal aid delivery, while international aid is transported using commercial fleets. Most imports come by road from Russia, with the main route passing through the mountainous area of Upper Lars in Georgia. However, challenges arise due to the condition of these roads, particularly during the cold period from October to April when closures are frequent. It's important to note that ICRC Armenia does not engage in manufacturing activities.

For more information on humanitarian agency contact details, please see the following link: 4.2 Humanitarian Agency Contact List

 

 

The State Revenue Committee is a tax and customs authority established under the RA laws “On Tax Service,” “On Customs Regulations” and “On Customs Service.”

The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Customs Code substantially controls Armenia’s foreign trade regime and customs regulations.

In 2001, customs department was split from the Ministry of State Revenues and the State Customs Committee of the Government of Armenia was formed. However, by the presidential decree NH-226-N of August 20, 2008, State Customs Committee and State Tax Service of the Government of the Republic of Armenia were re-organized into State Revenue Committee of the Government of Armenia through a merger. The below diagram demonstrates the organizational structure of the State Revenue Committee concerning the Tax Service and Customs Service.

The regional customs houses are customs entities where the goods and means of transportation/vehicles transferred by the organizations registered in the customs zone of activity of the given regional customs house are processed. Each regional customs house has some customs points under its subordination. The customs points are customs entities where goods and vehicles conveyed by physical persons undergo final processing, as well as goods and vehicles conveyed by legal entities undergo registration and initial customs processing (in case of import and transit) or registration and release (in case of export and transit).

Contacts:

Hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

The Call Centre is available on working days from 09:00 till 18:00 and can be reached at the phone numbers 08000 1008 and +(374) 60 844 444

General Department of the RA SRC Secretariat +374 (60) 84 46 57

General Department of the RA SRC Secretariat +374 (60) 84 46 59

49797259@e-citizen.am

secretariat@petekamutner.am

e-request.am

Duties and Tax Exemption

• VAT - 20% from customs value (cost of goods plus transport cost) Import
• Duty an average 10% for specified goods
• Road Tax
• Ecology Tax
• Goods and services recognized as humanitarian assistance within the framework of humanitarian aid programs are exempt from all duties and taxes
• Generally, all imported goods to Republic of Armenia are subject for duties, however in order not to pay the duties for humanitarian assistance, as per local legislation, importer has to request prior to arrival of the goods to humanitarian assistance central committee, to explain purpose of imported.

In order to get HACC (Humanitarian Assistance Central Committee) approval prior of arrival of goods, letter request with supporting docs (cargo docs, distribution plan) should be submitted to HACC.

Copy of recognition letter should be submitted to Head of Customs before declaring goods.

Clearing cargo with incomplete documentation is not possible, in case of any missing documentation, goods could be unloaded at the bonded warehouse (or in case of big shipment or humanitarian assistance) in consignee's warehouse, however consignees do not have right to use goods until issue with docs are solved and clearance is done. Best before date of commodity, as per local legislation is a must on any kind of packaging, including bags. Usually as per law printing should be in Armenian as well, however for humanitarian assistance, issue with Armenian language was waived.

Since 2015 the Republic of Armenia became a member of Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The EAEU introduces the free movement of goods, capital, services and people and provides for common policies in macroeconomic sphere, transport, industry and agriculture, energy, foreign trade and investment, customs, technical regulation, competition and antitrust regulation. One of the main features of the Union is that there is no customs clearance required for the goods received from other member countries, which are Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus.  For goods imported from EAEU, special tax forms need to be filled in and presented to the Tax Authorities: Import Declaration and a Statement on Import of Goods.

For contact information regarding government custom authorities, please follow the link below: 

Emergency Response:

[Note: This section contains information which is related and applicable to ‘crisis’ times. These instruments can be applied when an emergency is officially declared by the Government.  When this occurs, there is usually a streamlined process to import goods duty and tax free.]

In the following table, state which of the following agreements and conventions apply to the country and if there are any other existing ones

Agreements / Conventions Description	Ratified by Country? (Yes / No)
WCO (World Customs Organization) member	Yes - Date: 30th June 1992
Annex J-5 Revised Kyoto Convention	Yes - Date: 25th April 2003
OCHA Model Agreement	Yes
Tampere Convention (on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations)	Yes
Regional Agreements (on emergency/disaster response, but also customs unions, regional integration)	Member of BSEC (Black Sea Economic Cooperation) Date: May 1st, 1999  Member of EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) Date: January 2nd, 2015   The United Nations in Armenia and the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Armenia holds a Customs Facilitation Agreement, a bilateral agreement allowing the expedition of the import, export, and transit of relief consignments and possessions of relief personnel in the event of disasters and emergencies.

Exemption Regular Regime (Non-Emergency Response): 

[Note: This section should contain information on the usual duties & taxes exemption regime during non-emergency times, when there is no declared state of emergency and no streamlines process (e.g. regular importations/development/etc.).]

• Single Administrative Document (SAD) is completed based on this document.
• Goods and vehicle declaration is automated and is implemented by ASYCUDA system.
• Before starting declaration process the importer has the right to observe and measure goods and vehicles and take samples if permitted by customs bodies on condition that they will be included in the submitted declaration.
• Goods and vehicles are declared in the custom house by the following sequence:

• Registering a SAD
• Accepting a SAD
• Selectivity
• Payment
• Goods Release

SAD Registration

Based on the submitted documents the declarant fills out the corresponding fields in the SAD. The completed SAD is registered in the automated system.

The registered SAD is checked and signed by the declarant and stamped with the organization seal and is submitted to the authorized person in the custom house, i.e. to the estimating inspector

Amendments and supplements to the customs declaration are made before it is accepted by the authorized customs officer.

Accepting a SAD

Customs bodies check the accuracy of the order of filling out the SAD, the completeness and validity of submitted documents, the accuracy of applying the customs value method, etc.

After the documents are checked the declarant is notified about the responsibility he/she bears in case incorrect information is provided and only after that the SAD is estimated and accepted.

The estimated SAD is sealed with inspector’s personal seal, and the declarant signs and seals the document with the seal of the organization. The estimated SAD is considered to be accepted by customs bodies. It is a legal document starting from the moment it is accepted, and the declarant bears a responsibility for the inaccuracy of information declared by him.

Selectivity

After estimating the SAD, further declaration direction is automatically selected by ASYCUDA SAD can be selected by:

Red Passage - declared freight is subject to detailed inspection

Yellow Passage - declared freight is subject to partial inspection

Green Passage - declared freight is released without inspection

Payment

The declarant pays customs fees calculated in the SAD. All documents necessary for customs payments are to be completed, namely budget transfer notice of customs fees and customs fee receipt.

The SAD and the other above-mentioned documents are sealed by inspector’s seal.

Goods Release

In case red and yellow passages are selected, declared goods are inspected according to the procedures defined by the law, and correspondence between goods indicated in the SAD and actually existing goods is checked.

In case there is no correspondence between the information mentioned in the declaration and actual goods, a protocol regarding the violation of customs regulations is prepared in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Armenia.

The declarant submits documents (a certificate of correspondence or about origin, etc.) provided by authorized bodies in case there is a necessity of non-tariff regulation defined by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia.

Declared goods are subject to veterinary, sanitary and other type of control provided by the state bodies of the RA, in case there is the necessity for it. After having inspected goods (red and yellow passages) in case information declared corresponds to actually existing goods, the freight is released by making an appropriate note on the SAD.

Goods entering the Republic of Armenia within the framework of programs of humanitarian assistance or charity.

In the event of absence of direct reference in the legislation (including the international agreements of the Republic of Armenia) to the nature of a program, the latter shall be classified as pertaining to humanitarian assistance, charity and technical (other) nature by the Authorized Body of the Government of the Republic of Armenia coordinating humanitarian assistance (HACC).

 

Organizational Requirements to obtain Duty Free Status
United Nations Agencies
UN Agencies do not need to obtain duty free permissions in case they have appropriate agreement with Government of RA and is recognized by national assembly. According to local legislation (Tax Code on VAT article Nº 16) all international organizations (diplomatic and humanitarian) included in their list should not pay VAT Please note: goods are not VAT exempt but VAT rate is 0%, for other duties it is an exemption
Non Governmental Organizations
NGOs should obtain through HACC permission for duty free entry for each shipment separately

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure: 

Duties and Taxes Exemption Application Procedure
Generalities (include a list of necessary documentation)
NGO should be registered as entity in Ministry of Justices. NGO should have approved plan for humanitarian assistance with defined targeted group. Request to HACC. According to Local legislation Humanitarian organization can obtain exemption for import duties and VAT Exemption is granted either by HACC (in case of NGO both local or international) or based on an agreement with Government
Process to be followed (step by step or flowchart)
Registration certificate Shipping documents including detailed packing list with weight, number etc. (Process time - one week) HACC recognition and Duty-free entry permission

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements

Duties and Taxes Exemption Certificate Document Requirements (by commodity)

	Food	NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education)	Medicines	Vehicle & Spare Parts	Staff & Office Supplies	Telecoms Equipment
Invoice	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs
AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs
Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs
Packing Lists	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes (detailed with number of pieces and weight)	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to UN and NGOs
Other Documents	Phytosanitary Certificate	n/a	Needs to be registered brand in Armenia	Certificate of title or registration from origin	n/a	Import permission required from GoA

Customs Clearance

General Information 

Customs Information
Document Requirements	Instruction of temporary import must be indicated on the invoice
Embargoes	None
Prohibited Items	Specific drugs, protected species, imitation and/or counterfeit material
General Restrictions	(GMO) commodities are not allowed into Armenia. The country has strict regulations prohibiting the import of GMO food products.   The least shelf life required for food commodities to enter Armenia is at least six months. Additionally, the best before date must be displayed on the packaging. This ensures that the food products are safe for consumption for a reasonable period after entering the country

Customs Clearance Document Requirements

Customs Clearance Document Requirements (by commodity)

	Food	NFI (Shelter, WASH, Education)	Medicines	Vehicles & Spare Parts	Staff & Office Supplies	Telecoms Equipment
D&T Exemption Certificate	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
Invoice	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
AWB/BL/Other Transport Documents	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
Donation/Non-Commercial Certificates	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
Packing Lists	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
Phytosanitary Certificate	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO
Other Documents	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO	Yes, Original, 1 copy, applies to both UN and NGO

Transit Regime

The customs regime of transit shipment in Armenia is considered transportation of goods under customs control between two customs points without modification of the bill of lading. Transit shipment regime implies:

• No customs payments
• That the goods shall be transported from one customs point of destination to another within a ten-day period maximum and submission to customs bodies for temporary custody within the specified period in case of force majeure
• Exception of changes other than natural deterioration or changes caused by the transportation or storage under abnormal conditions.
• Obligatory customs accompanying in cases stipulated by the Rep of Armenia government if otherwise is not stipulated customs code.

There is government established list of goods that are prohibited to be transported through the Rep of Armenia territory. Those goods transportation through the Rep of Armenia territory shall be subject of licensing and the order of implementation. Carrier who arrange transit transportation of goods and means of transportation through the Rep of Armenia territory:

• Should incur liability for transit shipment of goods and means of transportation under the ‘transit shipment’ regime according to this code and other legal acts.
• In case of alienation, lost or not reaching to the customs point, or leaving the Rep of Armenia customs territory of goods and means of transportation without permission of the Customs Authorities, the carrier shall be obliged to pay the customs payments stipulated by "imported for free circulation" regime within 10 days following the date stipulated for the transit shipment and pay the penalties stipulated by the legislation in the event of failure to pay customs payments within the specified period.
• In case the goods are destroyed or lost irrevocably in consequence of force-majeure circumstances, or undergone natural deterioration, or are damaged due to transportation under abnormal conditions, or actions or idleness of the RA State authorities and officials and that fact is stated with the relevant documents.

Since 2008 the Customs committee has started to encourage all organizations importing or exporting goods in Armenia to use licensed customs brokers to conduct clearance process

Currently almost all transport companies either have their own employee who have license to do clearance or have a contract with small companies who are providing such services

Armenia Customs Additional Information                

The United Nations in Armenia and the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Armenia signed a Customs Facilitation Agreement, a bilateral agreement allowing the expedition of the import, export, and transit of relief consignments and possessions of relief personnel in the event of disasters and emergencies. This marks a major step forward in strengthening preparedness and a pioneering initiative for others in the region.

Armenia’s vulnerability to natural disasters led the Armenian Government to prioritize the rapid deployment of international aid in emergency situations by lowering customs barriers.                                                                        

This Agreement will allow aid consignments (including search and rescue teams, search dog teams, and mobile medical units), high technology emergency communication equipment, and other emergency relief items a speedy import/export and transit into the country in the event of a disaster requiring external assistance. along with vital information shared by natural authorities, enable UN agencies, intergovernmental, governmental, and non-governmental organizations as well as other humanitarian actors to quickly contact appropriate National Customs Authorities to bring in relief consignments for saving lives and reducing the suffering of the affected people.

Focal points for information

Since 2008 the humanitarian community in Armenia has outsourced customs clearance services to licensed brokers, customs clearance agencies include:

• GOSSELIN YEREVAN" Armenian-Belgian Joint Venture, Closed Joint-Stock Company (CJSC) Phone +37491402445 Point of contact Vahram M. Jotyan, Director E mail yerevan@gosselinarmenia.com
• TRANSIMPEX" Limited Liability Company (LLC) Point of Contact Artur V. Abovyan, Director Phone +374-60-657070  http://www.transimpex.am
• “ARA AMIRYAN" Limited Liability Company (LLC), Point of Contact Ara Amiryan Phone +37491421530 e mail: araamiryan@gmail.com

In addition to above list there are several customs clearance agent available as per link https://www.spyur.am/en/business_directory/bd/9433

 

Customs Information by Entry Point

Each point of entry is equipped with customs office, immigration office and border authorities. Below are three main land entry points with description.  

Entry Point Details: Bagradashen
Land	Bagratashen, border with Georgia
Name of Customs Officer in Charge	N/A
Title	Shift leader
Address	Bagratashen Village
Operating Hours	0900 – 1800
Telephone Number	+374 (60) 54 44 44
Web	https://www.src.am/am
Languages of Correspondence	Armenian, Russian English (basic)
Entry Point Details: Agarak
Land	Agarak, border with Iran
Name of Customs Officer in Charge	N/A
Title	Shift leader
Address	Agarak Town of Syunik marz
Operating Hours	0900 – 1800
Telephone Number	+374 10 285 452
Web	https://www.src.am/am
Languages of Correspondence	Armenian, Russian, English (basic)
Warehouse
Official customs warehouses in Armenia as of September 2019. All goods crossing customs border are assigned to one of below customs warehouses where customs clearance inspection should be done. All warehouses are equipped with scale, space for unloading / loading, labourers, fork lifts.
Name of Warehouse	Location / Address	Telephone	Rail Access
			Yes	No
Urban Logistics service	62, 23 Araratyan St, Yerevan	+374 60 706060		No
Apaven	43 Araratyan Street, Yerevan, Armenia	+374 10 464 499	Yes
Uratu OJSC	12 Arin Berd Street, Yerevan, Armenia	+374 10 474 631	Yes
Firma New	Kotayk Marz Arinj, Armenia	+374 10 285 348		No
Hayk CJSC	11 Arin Berd Street, Yerevan, Armenia	+374-11-252000	Yes
Zangezur Terminal	Kapan Gortsaranayin St, Yerevan, Armenia	+374 28 566 500		No
Trans Alians	90 Araratyan Street, Yerevan, Armenia	+374 10 52 95 98	Yes
Zvartnots Cargo Terminal	Zvartnots Cargo Terminal, Yerevan Airport, Armenia	+374 10 493 000 Ext: 71-12		No
MetXim	15/1 Artashat Highway Yerevan, Armenia	+374-10-287576 +374-10-287633	Yes

 

Customs Information and Document Requirements

Clearing System

•           Import/export completed by the organisation should clear goods only at the customs houses were the organisation is registered

•           Since majority of international organisations are registered in capital of Armenia, all goods arriving by surface should be cleared at Araratyan customs house goods arriving by air can be cleared at Zvartnots customs house

•           At border crossing points, customs officers checking the documents and issue transit documents, to the regional customs house.

•           Note: there is deadline for completing the customs clearance on each transit declaration which is normally 10 days, in case it is not completed within this time there is a customs penalty.

For detailed information please check the following link with interactive map - Republic of Armenia Customs Service

Port Overview

Being a landlocked country and the subject of a trade embargo by 2 of its 4 neighbors, the Georgian port of Poti serves as a European gateway for international trade in Armenia.

Port Poti is on a plain, where the Rioni River empties into the Black Sea, 265 km northwest of Tbilisi, with its geographical location representing a crossroad of the Caucasian corridor.

Poti Port is the largest seaport in Georgia, handling liquids, dry bulk, 80% of Georgia’s container traffic, and passenger ferries. The multi-purpose facility has 15 berths, a total quay length of 2,900 meters, more than 20 quay cranes, and 17 km of rail track.

Nowadays the port is equipped with modern cargo handling facilities and in line with European standards. The port has open and closed warehouses and supportive constructions, The port consists of an outer roadstead and an inner harbor. The inner harbor, which is protected by breakwaters, consists of 4 basins approached by a channel.8 cargo handling complexes located at 15 berths of the “northern port” and “inner basin, passenger station, and berths for the fishing fleet, with a total berth length of 2,900m and more than 20 quay cranes. Sea Port of Poti has all the conditions to satisfy clients’ different requirements regarding cargo and passenger carriage.

Poti is the principal port for the transshipment of cargo to and from Central Asia and the Trans-Caspian district, handling liquid and dry bulk, ferries as well as containers. It is also the shipping port for the export of manganese ore from the Caucasian and Chiaturi regions.

Port website: Our Port - APM Terminals

Key port information may also be found at: http://www.maritime-database.com

Port Location and Contact
Country	Georgia
Province or District	SAMEGRELO -Zemo Svaneti
Nearest Town or City with Distance from Port	POTI
Port's Complete Name	PORT POTI
Latitude	42.15406
Longitude	41.66006
UN/LOCODE	GEPTI
Managing Company or Port Authority	APM Terminals Poti
Management Contact Person	APM Terminals Poti   Poti New Terminal Consortium (PNTC)
Nearest Airport and Airlines with Frequent International Arrivals/Departures	Kutaisi International Airport Airlines: WizzAir, FlyArystan, Red Wings, Pegasus, Belavia, and AK Air Georgia

 

Port Picture

 

 

Description and Contacts of Key Companies

APM Terminals Poti

JSC Poti Sea Port Corporation
I/N 215080999

Legal address: 38 D. Aghmashenebeli Str. Poti 4400 Georgia

Tel: + 995 493 27 77 77.

Operates 24 hrs a day, all year around. closed on the following public holidays.

January 1, January 7, January 19, March 3, March 8, April 9, Moveable - Eastern Orthodox Good Friday, Great Saturday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday of  Bright Week (On Bright Monday, the Georgian Orthodox Church serves  Liturgy for Dismissals), May 9, May 12, May 26, August 28, October 14, November 23.

Email: customerservicepoti@apmterminals.com

Administration: Email: AdministrationPoti@apmterminals.com  

https://www.apmterminals.com/en/poti/practical-information/shipping-lines  

Poti New Terminal Consortium (PNTC)

Poti Sea Port Corporation (PSPC) and Poti New Terminals Consortium (PNTC) signs a Memorandum of Understanding. Accordingly, The New Bulk Cargo Terminal has a capability to process more than one million tons of different types of dry bulk cargos annually and will expand new opportunities for Georgian transit corridor.

Tsereteli St. 116th.

 Business Center Didube Plaza Post code: 0119, Tbilisi, Georgia

Tel: (995 32) 35 71 73

didube@plaza.com  

Info@pnt.ge

https://www.pnt.ge/

Service:

1. Passenger ferries,

1. Tugboat Services are provided by SVITZER. Svitzer Azimuth Sterndrive (ASD) tugboats significantly improve harsh weather operating capabilities and night time navigation through the entrance channel. These advanced tugboats provide customers with enhanced night-time navigation and safer towage during harsh weather conditions. This translates into faster turn times for vessels, more berthing windows to fit last minute changes to sailing schedules and the opportunity to welcome even longer, larger vessels. Pilotage is done by the State Authorities. All other Marine Services are carried out by APM Terminals Poti.
2.  Barge, Break Bulk and Out of Gauge (OOG): APM Terminals Poti handles all kinds of dry cargo, including containers, break bulk, bulk, rail, ferry, and RORO cargo.
3.  Ro-Ro: All kinds of wheeled vehicles can be handled, from personal cars to high and heavy cargo.

2. Container Services 

4. Phytosanitary Inspection and veterinary inspections can be arranged from cross-docking and reloading operations for transnational business.
5. On-dock Rail – connecting the port to the Georgian Railway network, as well as to the markets of Armenia.
6. Verified Gross Mass Weighing in full compliance with IMO requirements.

 

3. Warehouse and Storage Solutions 

1. Cross Docking: APM Terminals Poti offers a covered facility for the stripping and cross-docking of containers into trucks and vice-versa.

2. Storage 

3. Stripping and stuffing: All containerized cargo can be stripped and stuffed in the APM Terminals Poti Container Yard.

For more information on port contacts, please see the following link:  4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact List

Port Performance

 

Seasonal Constraints

	Occurs	Time Frame
Rainy Season	No	October - May
Major Import Campaigns	N/A	N/A

 

Handling Figures for 2023
Vessel Calls	1300
Container Traffic (TEUs)	400,000

 

Handling Figures Bulk and Break Bulk for 2023
Bulk (MT)	8 million
Break bulk (MT)	n/a

 

Discharge Rates and Terminal Handling Charges

For information on port rates and charges, please see the following link: https://www.apmterminals.com/en/poti/services/tariffs  

https://www.apmterminals.com/en/poti/practical-information/hours-of-operation 

Port tariffs are determined in accordance with the Maritime Code of Georgia, Civil Code of Georgia, Georgian law and other legislative acts relating to transport rules and regulations according to the legislative normative act.

Tariffs are established according to the vessel conditional volume, which is determined with international measurement certificate or according to - LOA of vessel, breadth and molded depth.

Barges, or floating objects combination volumes are determined as sum of separate elements. All charges for services should be paid by forwarder (ship-owner, freighter) or by vessel agent before any vessel leaves from port. In the case of non-payment of service tariffs and fines, the Port Administration Office will provide written notice and the Harbour Master who is permitted to refuse permission for the vessel to leave the port. Lighter ships, which carry out loading operations on internal and external roadstead, pay tariffs according to the lighter volume, which will be given at time of vessel call in port and will receive at time of leaving the port.

Services which are conducted during holidays incur a 25% surcharge for every vessel

Holidays are defined according to the labour law of Georgia. All kinds of service should be in detail decoded in the bill presented to ship-owner, included service carried out during the holidays. For the calculation of service fees, times rounded-up for each 30 minutes. Therefore, less than 30 minutes will be counted as half an hour and more than 30 minutes will be charged as 1 hour. Payment of tonnage, channel, berthing, sanitary inspection service and watchman tariffs are carried out once and will be paid per operation, by which a vessel arrived to the port. The navigation regimes are established for tariff award:

National Transporting – refers to vessels under the flag of Georgia, which carries out a navigation in Azov and Black Sea Basin between the ports of Georgia and CIS.

Vessels with privilege or national regime – refers to vessels, under the flag of Georgia that have concluded an agreement regarding commercial navigation and the vessels under the flag of Georgia as well, which carry out a navigation not in CIS countries.

Vessels with regular regime – refer to vessels, under the flag of Georgia has not concluded an agreement regarding a commercial navigation. For all tariff calculations, for those oil carrier (OBO) vessels and tankers, that have double bottom, double board or insulated ballast tanks (containers), their conditional volume is multiplied on coefficient -0.85, in case the vessel (agent) presents the International Certificate (IOPP) - to avoid the sea from oil pollution.

Berthing Specifications

Type of Berth	Quantity	Length (m)	Maximum Draft (m)	Comments
Conventional Berth	8	154-264	8-12.5	n/a
Container Berth	1	211	8.25	n/a
Silo Berth	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Berthing Tugs	1-2 engine x 1,775 HP 1-2 engine x 1,200 HP 1-2 engine x 600 HP 1-2 engine x 480 HP	n/a	n/a	n/a
Water Barges	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

General Cargo Handling Berths

Cargo Type	Berth Identification
Imports - Bagged Cargo	8, 9, 10 ( see below drawing Nº 1)
Exports - Bagged Cargo	8, 9, 10 ( see below drawing Nº 1)
Imports and Exports - RoRo	(see below drawing Nº 1)
Other Imports	(see below drawing Nº 1)

Port Handling Equipment

Currently the Port is a separate business entity and is operating its own equipment as private company.

Equipment	Available	Total Quantity and Capacity Available	Comments on Current Condition and Actual Usage
Dockside Crane	Yes	20; Capacity – 358 MT	n/a
Container Gantries	Yes	3; Capacity – 120 MT	n/a
Mobile Cranes	Yes	3; Capacity - 138 MT	n/a
Reachstacker	Yes	8; Capacity – 360 MT	n/a
RoRo Tugmaster (with Trailer)	Yes	4	n/a
Grain Elevator with Bagging Machines	No	n/a	n/a
Transtainer	No	n/a	n/a
Forklifts	Yes	8; Capacity – 60 MT	n/a

Port of Poti: Berthing Details 

Berth No	Length (m)		Draft (m)		Specialized for handling	Equipped with
1	200		12.5		Liquid Oil Products	Liquid Oil handling Terminal
2	185		12.5		Rail, Cars, Trucks & Containers	Ferry Terminal 2x 20 mt cranes
3	215		8.5		Metals, Equipment, Pipes	5 cranes up to 20 mt capacity
4	440		6.5		Fertilizer & General cargo	2 cranes up to 20 mt capacity
5	173		8.5		General Cargo	2 cranes up to 20 mt capacity
6	220		9.7		Metal Scrap	2 cranes up to 20 mt capacity
7	210		8.2		Container Terminal	3 cranes up to 40 mt capacity
8	220		9.7		Grain Bulk & General Cargo	3 cranes up to 20 mt capacity
9	220		8.0		Grain Bulk & General Cargo	3 cranes up to 6 mt capacity
10	220		8.0		Grain Bulk & General Cargo	3 cranes up to 20 mt capacity
11	220		8.0		Grain Bulk & General Cargo	n/a
12	260		8.0		Ro-Ro Passenger Terminal	n/a
13	97		8.5		Ro-Ro Passenger Terminal	n/a
14	240		8.5		Dish of fishing fleet	n/a
Port of Poti: Port Specifications
Pilot Boats		2
Water Barges		1
Police Boats		1
Anti-pollution Boats		1
Speed Boats		2

 

Container Facilities

The port has one designated container terminal (terminal No. 7) and each major/ international container lines represented in Port Poti such as Maersk, MSC, CMA/CGM, Zim, Happag Lyods have their own terminals outside of port.

container Facilities	20ft (TEU’s)	40ft (FEU’s)
Container Facilities	Yes	Yes
Container Freight Stations (CFS)	Yes	Yes
Number of CFS	3	3
Refrigerated Container Stations	Yes	Yes
Number of Stations (connection points)	1	1
Containerized Cargo Handling Charges
Discharge, loading, shifting within the hold or shifting on deck without landing	€48	€60
Containers handled via a conventional ship	€23	€30
Containers handled on a Ro-Ro basis	n/a	n/a
Empty Containers	n/a	n/a
Transhipment containers, overland containers, containers shipped & re-landed or landed & re-shipped or shifted from hold to hold	€23	€30

Port Security

 

Security
ISPS Compliant	Yes
Current ISPS Level (Level 1 = Normal, Level 2 = Heightened, Level 3 = Exceptional)	Normal (1)
Police Boats	1
Fire Engines	N/A