May 2024

Interview with the director of the company “Sofmar” Vakhtang Alania

1. Was there a person in your life, a teacher, who determined your personality, your future?
Or did you create yourself?

V. Alania: Of course, there were people who helped me to determine my future, both at school and at the university. I still communicate with them. My mother, Rusiko Nakashidze, played a special role in shaping my personality. Her dream was to know English. I realized her dream – I studied and chose the English language as a profession. And if not this choice, I wouldn’t be in the international freight transportation business.
Commercial talent came from my parents, my father Irodi Alania always had his business, I worked with him, studied next to him and gained experience.

 

2. If you were to start over, what would you change? Which choice of yours would you
regret and which would you approve?

V. Alania: I would have studied more diligently at school and at the institute, I would have gained more knowledge. Thoughtful learning is much more effective, when you see the goal and are focused on the result.
During the chaotic years of the collapse of the Soviet Union, against the background of general confusion, many people lost their orientation and support. The market economy suddenly changed the way of life. It is during this period that you start a new business, establish the freight transportation company “Sofmar”.

 

3. What helped you? Commercial intuition or luck?

V. Alania: Commercial intuition and relevant education with good luck! I have always had an inclination for business and a desire to do my own thing. It was a time of change – we had to review and reevaluate our goals, thoughts, ideology, lifestyle. This time was difficult for everyone, but nevertheless, it was my time, because I became free and independent in my business desires.

 

4. Whad did “Sofmar” bring you?

V.Alania: Sofmar is founded by me. Sofmar was my arena for self-realization.
Sofmar Maritime Agency” has been established in 1991. Our main activities at Georgian ports Poti and Batumi are: Ship’s Agent, Forwarding & Logistic, Custom Broker, Container Service, Project Cargo. Our basic objective is to offer our customers competitive, qualified, fast and personalized service.We organize handling operations at port of Poti and Batumi and transportation of any kind of cargoes (general, in bulk, in tanks, containerized and project cargoes) on the territory of Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Middle Asia. We have representations in Tbilisi, Batumi, Yerevan. This is allow us to control movements of the cargo and inform our clients in time.
We can offer fast, reliable and competitive service for delivery of cargo in containers “From door to door”.
We represent the Association of Forwarders of Georgia (AFG) being the member of such international organizations as BIMCO (The Baltic and International Maritime Council) and FIATA (International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations).

 

5. Has money changed you? What would you advise careerists and starting entrepreneurs?

V. Alania: It is a good question. Money has changed the living environment of my life, my goals, but the values of life have not changed. I would advise aspiring businessmen to find out whether business is their vocation or not.

 

6. Which period in the history of “Sofmar” would you single out as successful?

V. Alania: The most interesting time was the time of organization formation, construction of Sofmar.

 

7. What are the challenges facing “Sofmar” and the international freight transportation sector today?

V. Alania: Maintaining financial stability, setting new goals, new projects and innovations.

 

8. What do you do in a crisis situation?

V. Alania: First of all, the potential of the collective is mobilized. We start thinking about where have we made mistakes, analyze and set specific goals.

 

9.  What are you reading now?

V. Alania: I am a person who is passionate about innovations and learning. I am interested in everything. I returned to the Argonautica of Apollonius Rhodius once again. I am very interested in how the Colchian culture is depicted in this composition and I am looking for evidences. While reading, I discovered many things, including Mingrelian words.

 

10. Besides business what are you interested in? What is your hobby?

V. Alania: Sports and study of history.

 

11. Let’s suppose that reincarnation is possible. In which country would you have been born and how would you arrange the mosaic of your life? and why?

V. Alania: Again and again in Georgia. I can’t imagine myself as German, French or Spanish. I love my country.

 

12. How do you see “Sofmar” in 10-20 years?

V. Alania: I see my children and grandchildren in Sofmar