Aliağa Ports lead in gross tonnage and discharge handling despite a decrease in container traffic, as discussed in the March DTO council meeting.
The regular council meeting of the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping (DTO) Aliağa Branch for the month of March was held. During the meeting, the operational volume of Aliağa ports and sectoral developments were discussed.
After the agenda items were reviewed at the council meeting of the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping (DTO) Aliağa Branch, the meeting minutes and the January balance sheet were unanimously approved. Following the sharing of the March activity report with the members, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping Aliağa Branch, Adem Şimşek, evaluated the port performance data for the first two months of 2026 and the activities carried out by the branch.
Beginning his speech by referring to the 111th anniversary of the Gallipoli Naval Victory, Adem Şimşek stated, 'Today, on the occasion of the 18th of March Gallipoli Naval Victory, which we proudly commemorate on its 111th anniversary, I remember all our heroic martyrs and veterans, especially Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades, with mercy, gratitude, and appreciation.'
Continuing his speech, President Şimşek also mentioned the branch's social responsibility projects, stating that they will organize the sixth edition of the traditional Painting, Poetry, and Composition Competition in collaboration with the Aliağa District National Education Directorate. Şimşek said, 'We will deliver our posters and announcements to all our schools after the holiday. Next month, we will hold a ceremony to reward the successful works. With this competition, we aim to increase our children's love for the sea and enhance their creativity and self-expression skills.'
President Şimşek also shared the port performance data for the first two months of 2026 in his speech. He noted that the total container traffic handled in TEU terms at Aliağa ports in January and February was 238,472, indicating a decrease of 22% compared to the same period in 2025, when this figure was 305,756 TEU. He added that Aliağa ports rank fifth in Turkey overall.
In his evaluation of cargo handling data, Şimşek stated that the total gross tonnage handled in the first two months of 2026 was 19,464,384 tons. He expressed that there was a 6.87% decrease compared to the same period last year; however, he noted that Aliağa ports ranked second in Turkey in gross tonnage handling, following Kocaeli.
Sharing net tonnage data, Şimşek reported that the net tonnage handled in the first two months of 2026 was 14,724,582 tons. He reminded that this figure was 14,955,129 tons in the same period last year, and despite a decrease of 1.54%, Aliağa ports maintained their leading position in net tonnage handling in Turkey.
Regarding loading and unloading data, Şimşek stated that the net tonnage for loading in the first two months of 2026 was 5,181,132 tons. Based on these figures, he indicated that Aliağa was the second port with the highest loading after Ceyhan, noting a 6% decrease in loading volume compared to the same period last year.
He reported that the net tonnage for unloading was recorded at 9,543,450 tons, emphasizing that there was a 1.1% increase in unloading operations at Aliağa ports, making Aliağa the leading port in Turkey for discharge handling.
Şimşek also mentioned that 894 ships called at Aliağa ports during the January-February period of 2026, indicating a 10.77% decrease compared to the same period last year; nevertheless, he stated that Aliağa maintained its second position in the number of calls, following Kocaeli.
At the end of the meeting, President Şimşek shared a message regarding the upcoming Ramadan holiday, stating, 'I wish that the blessed Ramadan holiday brings health, peace, and abundance to the entire Islamic world and our country, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to everyone on the holiday.'
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
