After the Russian-Ottoman War of 1877-1878, Batumi was declared Porto-Franco, which contributed to the rapid economic encrease of the city. A large amount of merchants and businessmen from all over the world started arriving In Batumi.

           In 1883, the Nobel Brotherhood built the first reservoirs in Batumi. On August 22, 1892, the oil tanker of the "Brotherhood of Nobel Brothers" sailed from the port of Batumi.  It ws the first tanker in the world, which sailed through the Suez Canal to Singapore.