DTO Izmir discusses cruise tourism decline and fishing port safety at December council meeting.
The regular council meeting of the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping İzmir Branch was held in December under the chairmanship of Council President Argun Gündüğ. The meeting was attended by DTO İzmir Branch Board Chairman Yusuf Öztürk and council members, where current sector issues, cruise tourism, security risks in fishing shelters, copyright matters, new legal regulations, and developments in global maritime trade were discussed.
In his evaluations regarding cruise tourism, İMEAK DTO İzmir Branch President Yusuf Öztürk reminded attendees that many cities worldwide have imposed restrictions on cruise ships. He noted that cities such as Amsterdam, Venice, and Barcelona have explicitly limited cruise tourism, while France has started charging a "landing fee" of 15 euros for each passenger arriving on cruise ships at its ports.
Öztürk stated, "Europe is doing this to prevent overtourism. We, on the other hand, are making efforts to attract ships to us. We need to think about this."
Öztürk also raised alarms over the increasing density of boats in fishing shelters, which poses serious security risks. He expressed concern that recent incidents of loss of life and fires have highlighted these dangers. He recalled a tragic death that occurred during a shift on a cargo ship in İzmir Alsancak and a fire at Çeşme Yıldızburnu Fishing Shelter, stating that overcrowding exacerbates these risks:
"Fishing shelters are managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and are designated areas for fishermen. However, day boats and yachts are also mooring here, driven by high marina prices. This is not correct from a safety perspective."
Öztürk noted that the chamber is actively working on copyright issues, sound decibel measurements, and fee increases in fishing shelters. He emphasized that live music applications are often misunderstood, reminding that broadcasts made on boats incur copyright obligations:
"Even music listened to on the radio can be considered live music. Television broadcasts are also included. This is based on a law from 1951, and the penalties are severe. Therefore, instead of making payments to individual institutions, we are working on a collective system based on boat capacity and seasonal criteria."
Öztürk stated that discussions are ongoing with the Ministry of Environment regarding the reduction of decibel measurement fees, emphasizing that fee increases ranging from 100% to 300% in certain areas of fishing shelters also need regulation.
Regarding global maritime trade, Öztürk expressed that the Russia-Ukraine war, security issues in the Red Sea, and the decline in Suez Canal transits have negatively impacted the sector. He noted that there has been limited recovery in the number of ships passing through the Suez Canal, stating that current figures are still well below pre-crisis levels:
"Before the guidance started at the end of 2023, 495-500 ships were passing weekly. Today, we are far from that level. As long as the Suez remains closed, high freight rates are inevitable."
Öztürk reported a significant decline in cruise and passenger traffic at İzmir Port, revealing nearly a 50% drop in the first 11 months of 2025. He stated that İzmir, which hosted 161,000 passengers with 61 ships last year, has fallen to 76,000 passengers with 45 ships this year. In contrast, he highlighted Kuşadası's strong performance:
"Kuşadası hosted approximately 1 million passengers with 603 ships. The distance to İzmir is only 80-100 kilometers. This means that ships can come. Therefore, we need to seriously discuss why they are not coming to İzmir."
During the meeting, a new legal regulation concerning businesses that rent marinas, ports, and coastal facilities, as well as maritime tourism vehicles, was also brought to the agenda. The regulation mandates that businesses keep records of guests' identification information and entry-exit logs.
Öztürk highlighted the importance of these steps in combating unregistered activities, while Council Member Köksal Hantal argued that the implementation could negatively affect sales in the sector. Hantal pointed out that the identification application could create issues regarding the Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK), stating that such demands could undermine customer trust.
Source: www.denizhaber.com
