Logistics Eco System Essential for the Development of Iskenderun Bay

The last 20 years of the logistics sector in Iskenderun Bay were discussed in the panel organized with the initiatives of LimakPort Iskenderun Port, with the contributions of the Iskenderun branch of the Chamber of Shipping and Iskenderun Maritime Transporters Association.
Content Text: The last 20 years of the logistics sector in Iskenderun Bay were discussed in the panel organized with the initiatives of LimakPort Iskenderun Port, with the contributions of the Iskenderun branch of the Chamber of Shipping and Iskenderun Maritime Transporters Association.
 
Prof. Dr. Soner Esmer, Dean of Iskenderun Technical University, Barbaros Hayrettin Shipbuilding and Maritime Faculty, who participated as a speaker in the panel held at the Chamber of Shipping, pointed out that in the light of the last 20 years of data, Turkey's annual increase in container transportation has grown at a level of 11% in parallel with the increase in the Eastern Mediterranean. In his presentation, Mr. Esmer made important observations about Turkey's and the world's logistics sector. He stated that the 11% increase in container transportation throughout Turkey continues to grow with a figure of 28% in Iskenderun Bay and that the percentage of ports in the Mediterranean reaching the world ports is quite successful. Prof. Dr. Soner Esmer pointed out that 22% of Turkey's own local cargo and 16% of transit containers are traded in the Eastern Mediterranean in this region and said that these figures are very important.

THE TRADITIONAL LOGISTICS INFRASTRUCTURE OF ISKENDERUN BAY IS VESSEL AGENCIES
Speaking at the panel organized within the scope of the studies carried out for the development of the Logistics sector in Iskenderun, the Port City, the establishment of new logistics companies and increasing employment in this field, LimakPort Iskenderun Port General Manager Assist. Mehmet Ünlü pointed out that the traditional infrastructure of Iskenderun Bay in logistics is ship agencies and emphasized that ship agencies should definitely enter the field of container transportation. Reiterating that LimakPort Iskenderun Port will support the local ship agencies, which constitute the main backbone of this sector in Iskenderun Bay, which has a deep-rooted logistics history, to take part in the Container logistics business, Mehmet Ünlü said: "The trend in maritime transportation in our region is container transportation. If it is necessary to give an example in this field, while Iron and Steel in our region used to produce and export all of its production and exports with general cargo ships, today it exports a significant part of its exports with containers in order to reach more customers rather than directly to the wholesaler with high tonnage ships at one time. It does not only deal with the wholesaler but also reaches the retail buyer through container transportation. Therefore, the trend in Iskenderun Bay is turning from normal conventional cargo to container transportation. What we want to emphasize here is that if 30 more warehouses are invested in Iskenderun port, it means that if hundreds of logistics companies are established, it has a future and will definitely win. We are calculating the future of the sector in proportional terms, we are planning to increase the capacity of the port up to 3 million Teu/year, that is, to do more business than Mersin port, in this context, if 300 more Customs consultancy service companies are established today, they will do business. As Limakport, our suggestion and support to you is to transform into a structure that offers container logistics services in addition to your ship agency activities. There is a great opportunity and business area here and we, as LimakPort, are ready to support you."

LOGISTICS ECOSYSTEM IS A MUST FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ISKENDERUN BAY
Gündüz Arısoy, General Manager of LimakPort İskenderun Port, answered the questions from the agency officials in the question and answer section of the panel. In his speech, Arısoy stated that the data of the last 20 years of container transportation in Turkey is very important and that the targeted growth figure in container transportation in Iskenderun Bay is predicted to be 32% for 2020. Arısoy said that Iskenderun is developing and growing, but if the logistics eco system is not created, the growth will remain limited.