Global firms eye Turkish ports

ISTANBUL - Reuters

Three of the world’s giant container firms, Maersk, CMA-CMG and MSC have their eyes on Turkish ports, especially those in İskenderun and İzmir.

The three firms are currently holding talks with port managers in hope of gaining an advantage over ports that have just opened or are slated to enter into operation in the near future, according to sources. 

İskenderun port in the east Mediterranean, which was privatized in 2010 and has the potential to include Iraq and Syria in its hinterland, and Petkim port, built by Azeri Socar in the western province of İzmir are prominent ports being eyed most by the firms.

“There are many current plans about Turkey’s port industry, including İskenderun and Petkim,” said Danish Maersk Line’s Turkey representative Tom Gronnegaard. The leading container firms see Turkey as a growing area in the port industry, he said, adding that most of them focused on Turkey.

According to an Ernst&Young report, Turkey conducted 88 percent of its foreign trade through ports. It should increase its port capacity three times by 2023, whereas it targets to increase exports to $500 billion and imports more than $1 trillion in the next 10 years.