Turkey’s container ports see robust traffic growth

The volume of container traffic handled at Turkey’s ports in Q1 2024 increased strongly compared with the corresponding period of 2023.

Data recently issued by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure reveal that in the first three months of 2024, 3.35M TEU was handled, up almost 18% on the 2.84M TEU processed in the same period of 2023.

While an improved economic situation in Turkey contributed to the performance, primarily the improved trading situation at the ports was the result of factors related to the regional geo-political situation, including the Israel/Gaza war, which led to several ports handling more transhipment and transit traffic, and national events.

In the case of Iskenderun, for instance, a full three months of activity was recorded this year whereas in 2023 the port was closed following damage caused by the earthquake of 6 February. Iskenderun’s throughput soared by 97.9% to 180,300 TEU.

Elsewhere, while significant increases were recorded by the ports of Tekirdag, Aliaga and Izmit, Mersin and Antalya both lost traffic. Year-on-year, these two ports posted declines in their throughput of 2% and 12%, respectively.

At Tekirdag, the AsyaPort complex has been one of the fastest growing container terminals in Turkey in recent years and this is expected to continue.

It is jointly owned by Terminal Investment Ltd, which is part of Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), and the Soyuer family and handles significant volumes of MSC’s eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea transhipment traffic.

This year it will complete its latest expansion programme that will see 800m added to its 2km quay line, allowing the terminal to process three ULCVs simultaneously. Its handling capacity will rise to 4M TEU a year.