The 71st Ordinary General Assembly of the Turkish Lloyd Foundation was held on April 29, 2026, at its headquarters in Tuzla.

The meeting began with a moment of silence and the National Anthem, followed by an opening speech by the Chairman of the Board, Oral Erdoğan. During the general assembly, the activity, financial, and audit reports were discussed, and the management and audit boards were discharged.

Erdoğan renewed his mandate.

In the presidential election, where three candidates competed, Prof. Dr. Oral Erdoğan was re-elected as president. İsmail Cengiz Ünlü and Bülent Hüseyinoğlu were also among the candidates in the election.

With 78 delegates voting, Erdoğan's re-election renewed confidence in the current administration.

New names in the board of directors.

As a result of the elections, existing members Oral Erdoğan, Gürsel Yıldız, Ufuk Teker, and Yılmaz Onur were re-elected to the board.

Cihan Bayrak, Mustafa Zorlu, M. Selim Buğdanoğlu, Özgür Obalı, and Adil Erkoç became new members of the board of directors.

In the Audit Board, Şevki Bakırcı and Ahmet Yaşar Canca were reappointed to their positions.

Vote distribution clarified.

The votes received by the candidates for the board of directors were also announced at the general assembly. Cihan Bayrak received the highest number of votes with 57, followed by Gürsel Yıldız with 53 votes, and Oral Erdoğan with 52 votes.

According to the results, the five candidates who received the highest votes from the TMMOB Chamber of Ship Engineers entered the board, while the names determined to represent the maritime, industry, and insurance sectors were also included in the board of directors.

“Adapting to global challenges is essential.”

In his opening speech, Erdoğan emphasized that the structure consisting of 78 delegates represents a strong unity of Turkey's maritime and industrial world.

Pointing out the global economic and political developments, Erdoğan highlighted the importance of institutions adapting to changing conditions. Referring to the deep-rooted history of Turkish Lloyd, Erdoğan stated that particularly the IACS membership is a critical threshold.

“Trust has become multi-layered.”

Ahmet Yaşar, President of the Turkish Insurance Association, drew attention to the multi-stakeholder structure of Turkish Lloyd in his speech.

Yaşar emphasized the wide impact area extending from maritime to industry, stating that the institution is not only a classification organization but also a structure that defines the technical framework of trust.

Noting that climate change, supply chain issues, and geopolitical developments have made risks more complex, Yaşar expressed that more holistic and collaborative approaches have gained importance in this process.

Sector representatives attended.

The general assembly was attended by leading representatives of the sector, including Tamer Kıran, Chairman of the Board of IMEAK Chamber of Shipping, and Cihan Ergenç, President of the Turkish Shipowners Association.

Source: SeaNews Türkiye