Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated, “In the first quarter, the amount of cargo handled in ports increased by 7.2% compared to the same period last year, reaching 134 million 327 thousand 597 tons.”
Ankara Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu reported that the amount of cargo handled in ports in the first quarter of this year increased by 7.2% compared to the same period last year, reaching 134 million 327 thousand 597 tons, and stated, “The amount of containers handled also increased by a record rate of 17.9% compared to the same period last year, reaching 3 million 350 thousand 817 TEUs.”
Uraloğlu made a written statement regarding the maritime statistics for the January-March period prepared by the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs.
Pointing out that they have made Turkey one of the world’s important port centers under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Uraloğlu stated, “We will continue to work with all our might to increase our maritime trade volume and improve our country’s economy and employment.”
Uraloğlu stated that all necessary initiatives and investments have been made by the Ministry for the further development of maritime, increasing the opportunities provided by the seas, and utilizing resources for the economy, and reported that they are continuing their efforts to increase Turkey’s share in maritime trade without slowing down.
Uraloğlu indicated that the economic improvement experienced in the first quarter has begun to reflect on commercial life, stating, “In the first quarter, the amount of cargo handled in ports increased by 7.2% compared to the same period last year, reaching 134 million 327 thousand 597 tons. The amount of containers handled in ports also reached 3 million 350 thousand 817 TEUs, an increase of 17.9% compared to the same period last year.”
Uraloğlu stated that the transit cargo transport by sea in ports in March was 5 million 699 thousand 607 tons.
Uraloğlu reported that the amount of cargo handled in Turkish ports in the last month was 47 million 351 thousand 510 tons, and continued his statement as follows:
“In this period, the amount of loading for export purposes in ports increased by 19.4% compared to the same month of the previous year, reaching 12 million 804 thousand 476 tons, while the amount of unloading for import purposes increased by 12.4% compared to the same month of the previous year, reaching 23 million 880 thousand 435 tons. In March, foreign trade transports increased by 14.8% compared to the same month of the previous year, reaching 36 million 684 thousand 911 tons.”
Most handled cargoes Uraloğlu stated that the type of cargo that showed the highest increase in March compared to the previous month was the handling of motor fuel, stating that 3 million 507 thousand 326 tons of motor fuel cargo handling was carried out in ports.
Uraloğlu stated that this was followed by cargoes carried in ’40-foot loaded containers’ and iron ores and concentrates, and used the following expressions: “Portland cement cargo type took the first place among the export cargoes handled in our ports with 1 million 40 thousand 381 tons. This was followed by motor fuel and feldspar. Crude oil took the first place among the import cargoes handled in our ports. This was followed by scrap iron and non-briquetted coal.”
“The most cargo was handled in shipments to Italy” Uraloğlu stated that the most cargo handling in exports by sea in March was realized in shipments to Italy, followed by shipments to the USA and Spain, stating that in imports, the most cargo handling was seen in shipments from Russia.
Uraloğlu pointed out that 8.1% of the cargo handled in Turkish ports involved Turkish-flagged ships, stating, “The amount of cargo carried by Turkish-flagged ships increased by 29.1% to 2 million 965 thousand 1 tons in March compared to the same month of the previous year. The amount of cargo carried by foreign-flagged ships increased by 13.6% to 33 million 719 thousand 910 tons compared to the same month of the previous year.”
Uraloğlu stated that the amount of containers handled in ports reached 1 million 169 thousand 846 TEUs last month.
“The most cargo was handled in Aliağa” Uraloğlu stated that the transit cargo transport by sea in ports in March was 5 million 699 thousand 607 tons.
Stating that the amount of cargo transported by cabotage in the said month decreased by 5.1% compared to the same month of the previous year to 4 million 966 thousand 992 tons, Uraloğlu said:
“The most cargo handling was realized in port facilities operating within the administrative boundaries of Aliağa Regional Port Authority with 7 million 720 thousand 348 tons. This was followed by Kocaeli with 7 million 365 thousand 591 tons and İskenderun Regional Port Authority with 5 million 669 thousand 99 tons. We can proudly say that we are now in a very important position in the international arena in the field of maritime. We are one of the leading maritime countries in the world.
source: aa.com.tr/ prepared by Melisa Beğiç