A total of 34,783 ships called at Turkish ports during the first seven months of 2026, according to data compiled from the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs. Of these, 22,071 were foreign-flagged vessels, while 12,712 were Turkish-flagged.
Despite geopolitical risks affecting major maritime routes, Turkish ports continued to maintain their importance in regional and global trade.
Ship Traffic Declines Slightly Year-on-Year
The number of ships calling at Turkish ports was 35,808 in the same period last year. Of these, 12,326 were Turkish-flagged and 23,482 were foreign-flagged.
This means total port calls decreased by around 2.9% year-on-year in the January-July period. At the same time, the number of Turkish-flagged vessels increased, while foreign-flagged ship calls declined.
Maritime traffic has faced significant challenges in 2026 due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz linked to the Iran-U.S./Israel conflict, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Black Sea shipping, and broader changes in global trade routes.
Kocaeli Leads in Ship Traffic
Kocaeli ranked first among Turkish port authorities in terms of ship calls during the January-July period.
A total of 4,963 ships called at Kocaeli ports, including:
- 1,530 Turkish-flagged vessels
- 3,433 foreign-flagged vessels
Kocaeli was followed by Aliağa, which recorded 3,479 ship calls, consisting of 1,152 Turkish-flagged and 2,327 foreign-flagged vessels.
Other major port authorities included:
- İskenderun: 2,335 ships
- Ambarlı: 2,333 ships
- Mersin: 2,138 ships
Nearly 1.5 Million Vehicles Transported by Ro-Ro Ships
International Ro-Ro services also recorded substantial activity during the first seven months of the year.
A total of 1,487,171 vehicles were transported by sea on international Ro-Ro routes connected to Türkiye.
Of these, 713,940 were incoming vehicles, while 773,231 were outgoing vehicles.
The figures underline the continued role of Turkish ports as key hubs for international maritime trade and vehicle logistics despite disruptions affecting global shipping routes.
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök