In H1 2023, Turkish ports managed 279.1 million tons of cargo, a 1.5% rise, with significant growth in June for transit and cabotage loads.
According to the latest official data from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the cargo handled in Turkish ports reached 279.1 million tons in the January–June period, marking a 1.5% increase. In June, transit cargo increased by 9%, and cabotage cargo rose by 16%; the monthly share of Turkish-flagged vessels in foreign cargo remained at 5.8%.
Turkish ports completed the first half of 2023 with limited overall cargo growth, while June showed more pronounced growth. According to the latest official bulletin published by the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs on July 13, the cargo handled in June increased by 4.1% compared to the same month last year, reaching 46 million 915 thousand 913 tons. The total for January–June amounted to 279 million 112 thousand 301 tons, reflecting a 1.5% increase.
In June, the cargo exported abroad decreased by 0.4% to 12.36 million tons, while the cargo received from abroad increased by 2.1% to 21.47 million tons. Transit shipments rose by 9% to 6.40 million tons, and cabotage shipments reached 6.69 million tons with a 16% increase. However, the total foreign cargo in the first half declined by 1.2% to 205.56 million tons.
In June, the highest cargo handling occurred within the boundaries of the Kocaeli Regional Port Authority, totaling 7.61 million tons. Kocaeli was followed by Aliağa with 7.57 million tons and İskenderun with 5.44 million tons. The top 10 port authorities handled 83.5% of the total cargo.
In the ranking of countries from which cargo arrived, Russia ranked first by a wide margin with 7.53 million tons, followed by the USA and Egypt. The country receiving the most cargo from Turkey via sea was Italy, with 1.49 million tons. In terms of cargo type, Portland cement led in exports, while crude oil topped imports.
In June, only 1.97 million tons of the 33.83 million tons of foreign cargo were transported by Turkish-flagged vessels. The volume of Turkish-flagged vessels decreased by 12% year-on-year, while the volume carried by foreign-flagged vessels increased by 2.1% to 31.86 million tons. In the first half, Turkish-flagged foreign cargo decreased by 4% to 14.04 million tons.
While the total port volume is growing, the low share of Turkish-flagged vessels in foreign cargo brings discussions of fleet renewal, access to financing, and long-term transport contracts back to the forefront. The increase in transit and cabotage in June signals positive prospects for regional transshipment and domestic maritime transportation.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
