The bilingual (Turkish-English) and national-international monthly publication SeaNews aims to amplify the voice of Turkish maritime in the international arena in Athens by aligning its current issue with the busiest week of the global maritime calendar. This issue is designed not only as a trade fair bulletin but as a comprehensive maritime text that addresses a wide agenda ranging from maritime law to shipbuilding, insurance to geopolitics, with a field-oriented perspective.

A Steady Path Towards the Hundredth Issue

SeaNews is published under Lojitürk Logistics, Consulting, Publishing and Tourism Services Ltd. The Publisher and Responsible Editor is Fulya Tekin İstikbal, and the General Coordinator is Nermin İstikbal Ocaklı. The Editorial Board consists of Prof. Dr. Özcan Arslan, Prof. Dr. Ali Deveci, Capt. Ahmet Ağaoğlu, Prof. Dr. Selçuk Nas, Eng. Yılmaz Onur, Eng. Feramuz Aşkın, Capt. Bülent Dandin, Harun Şişmanyazıcı, Ali Bozoğlu, and Attorney Capt. Cahit İstikbal. Sector Advisory is conducted by Capt. Mustafa Can.

Reaching the ninety-seventh issue is a significant indicator of stability in a field as narrow and specialized as maritime press. It is often noted that many publications "start with enthusiasm and disappear within a few months or a year," while SeaNews continues its regular publication and approaches its hundredth issue. The magazine's unique concept of featuring a portrait of an interviewee on its cover has become a recognized and followed identity in the sector.

The evaluations found in the magazine's reader pages also indicate this stability. Tamer Kıran, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping, states that SeaNews is one of his two favorite publications related to maritime, appreciating the detailed portraits of notable figures in the sector and the "touch of the İstikbal family." The General Manager of Turkish P&I emphasizes the importance of the magazine's English content in representing and promoting the sector on the international stage, noting that the in-depth treatment of topics is a distinguishing feature of the publication.

The editorial line in the 97th issue reflects this quest for depth. SeaNews states that it addresses maritime from the axis of "character, responsibility, and decision-making culture"; it reads topics such as contract discipline, risk management, and the future of the profession with a field-oriented perspective. The bilingual publication approach serves as a bridge representing the sector on the international stage by ensuring that information about Turkish maritime reaches foreign readers directly from the source. This quality also explains why the magazine constitutes a meaningful platform at a global event like Posidonia.

Media Sponsor of Posidonia 2026

Posidonia, held biennially in Athens under the slogan "The Home of Shipping," is considered the largest gathering in the global maritime calendar. Hosted by the Greek shipowner community, which operates the world's largest fleet, the fair serves as a primary business platform providing direct access to the maritime industry. The 2024 edition hosted 2,038 participating companies from 81 countries and regions, 32,527 visitors from 130 countries, and a total of 41,838 participants; the 2026 edition is expected to surpass these figures, with the exhibition area of 50,000 square meters filling up months in advance and approximately 140 countries expected to attend.

SeaNews is among the media sponsors of this international gathering. The magazine will meet visitors at Athens Metropolitan Expo from June 1 to 5, 2026; the Posidonia Fair Special Issue will be distributed from the official stand. In an atmosphere that transforms Posidonia into a three-week maritime season with conferences, shipowner forums, risk panels, insurance meetings, technology seminars, receptions, and sporting events, the magazine's presence at the stand provides an opportunity to represent the Turkish maritime ecosystem under the same roof as international decision-makers. The fair is not merely a brochure market; it is read as a "maritime agora" where capital, ownership, technology, insurance, regulations, ports, shipyards, and state intelligence converge.

Cover Interview: "Correct Consulting, Correct Timing"

The cover of this issue features an interview conducted by Nermin İstikbal with Attorney Türker Yıldırım, a partner at Esenyel Partners Law Office and Chairman of the Maritime Law Commission of the Istanbul Bar Association. Yıldırım defines maritime law as a living field where "every case contains a route, a cargo, a risk, and often a story"; he emphasizes that this discipline is not a field that can be learned at a desk and left there, but constitutes a separate world with its own rhythm.

One of the prominent topics in the interview is the reflections of developments in the Strait of Hormuz on maritime trade and legal practice. Yıldırım notes that while concepts like "war risk," "force majeure," and "deviation" are theoretically known, they have become much more concrete with such geopolitical developments; he states that the process should be read holistically through the contract-insurance-operation triangle, not just through momentary developments. The limits of coverage in insurance, the application of additional premiums, and the way policy conditions come into play are evaluated alongside route planning, delay scenarios, and the legal consequences of operational decisions from the perspective of shipowners and charterers, which are central themes of the interview.

Yıldırım's fundamental advice to shipowners in today's volatile geopolitical and commercial environment is to structure risks correctly not only when they arise but also at the contract stage; to establish charter party arrangements, distribution of obligations, and provisions regarding emergencies clearly and equitably. He emphasizes that insurance should not be seen merely as a "guarantee" but as an active risk management tool; understanding P&I and H&M coverage correctly and centrally considering OFAC, EU, and UK sanction regimes in contract structuring are also highlighted in the interview. Yıldırım shares the activities of the Maritime Law Commission of the Istanbul Bar Association, which brings together academics and practicing lawyers, and its mentoring approach for young lawyers.

In the interview, Yıldırım expresses that the multidisciplinary structure of Esenyel & Partners has been decisive in shaping his professional identity. He states that in a structure where trade law, maritime law, insurance, arbitration, finance, competition, and personal data protection work together and feed each other, the issue is never limited to mere legal knowledge; it requires understanding commercial reality, analyzing risk correctly, and producing solutions within this integrity. As a father of two daughters, Yıldırım sincerely expresses that maritime law is an area where the boundaries of time and space are not clear; he views the balance between work and family not as a "fixed" structure but as a continuously readjusted process. The interview reveals that maritime trade must be managed not only operationally but also with legal and strategic awareness, covering everything from contracts to insurance, geopolitical risks to the future of the profession.

The Heart of the Headline: "Posidonia, The Agora of Maritime"

The intellectual backbone of the issue is formed by Attorney Capt. Cahit İstikbal's article titled "Posidonia, The Agora of Maritime." İstikbal argues that a maritime fair is never merely a place where ships, machines, ports, and contracts are displayed; it constitutes a "mirror of civilization." According to the author, Posidonia demonstrates that maritime power is built not only with fleets but also with continuity, institutional memory, industrial competence, ecological responsibility, and the capacity to gather the world around a maritime idea.

The article links the strength of Posidonia to the structural weight of Greek shipping: the fleet of approximately 5,700 vessels held by Greek shipowners represents roughly 20% of the global fleet and 61% of the European Union fleet. İstikbal also reminds that shipping has entered a "regulatory storm"; the IMO's net-zero emissions target around 2050, the inclusion of the EU Emissions Trading System in shipping starting in 2024, and the implementation of FuelEU Maritime in 2025 reveal that decarbonization is a struggle that proceeds not only through technical means but also through cost, competitiveness, fuel supply, and geopolitical burden-sharing. The primary function of fairs like Posidonia is to make this uncertainty interpretable; it transforms abstract policy into machinery, contracts, risk models, and investment decisions.

According to İstikbal, fairs like Posidonia serve four fundamental functions. First, they reduce information asymmetry; the shipowner sees not only a product but also its class approval, financing rationale, maintenance requirements, and operational outcome together. Second, they accelerate trust; as shipping is still a reputation sector, reputation often travels faster than advertising. Third, they discipline suppliers; each participant stands before a global benchmark. Fourth, they produce strategic memory: each generation of Posidonia records the concerns of its time—safety, sulfur, ballast water, cyber risk, carbon, artificial intelligence, alternative fuels, and finally geopolitical fragmentation. In one of the world's most sensitive maritime scenes, such as the Eastern Mediterranean, this function carries a diplomatic quality even if no agreements are signed; because the fair allows competitors and neighbors to continue speaking "the practical language of ships."

The aspect of İstikbal's thesis that looks towards Turkey is clear: Turkey is no longer an environmentally maritime country. According to official data, the Turkish-owned commercial fleet is expected to reach 53.1 million DWT by 2025, placing it among the top ten fleets in the world; in 2024, Turkish ports handled 531.7 million tons of cargo and 13.53 million TEU. With 85 active shipyards, approximately 4.79 million DWT construction capacity, strong repair-maintenance capabilities, recycling facilities, marinas, yacht manufacturers, and a geography that controls the transition between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Turkey possesses an integrated maritime ecosystem. The author argues that Turkey should emerge at Posidonia not as a "participant renting square meters" but as a "maritime proposition."

The strongest evidence of Turkey's specialized competence is shown in tugboat construction. İstikbal describes the underestimation of the tugboat, which makes large vessels manageable, as "a serious intellectual mistake," citing Sanmar and UZMAR as "strategic evidence": Sanmar has become a leader in the world by constructing over 300 tugboats; its portfolio includes battery-electric, LNG, methanol, hybrid, and autonomous vessels; UZMAR has produced over 200 vessels for more than 25 countries across six continents. The article also argues that Turkish ports are "geopolitical tools"; the Marmara, Aliağa, Kocaeli, Mersin, İskenderun, Tekirdağ, and Ambarlı form a maritime-industrial belt; and the Turkish Straits are one of the world's most sensitive control points.

The ecological dimension reminded by the fair, named after a seagrass, is also addressed in the article: it is noted that the endemic Posidonia oceanica meadows in the Mediterranean and Aegean provide shelter for marine species, support fishing, produce oxygen, and are protected in Turkish waters, emphasizing that the sea is not merely a transportation surface but a living organism. İstikbal suggests that instead of imitating Posidonia, Turkey should establish a complementary platform with a "Turkish Maritime Week" that connects Istanbul, Yalova, Tuzla, Kocaeli, Izmir, Mersin, and Antalya, focusing on tugboats, green retrofitting, ship repair, strait safety, yacht-marina economy, blue finance, maritime law, and marine biodiversity.

One of the most striking theses of the article concerns the Aegean. İstikbal states that the sea "punishes the emotional politics"; ships need safe passage, ports need cargo, shipyards need orders, sailors need employment, and marine ecosystems need protection. He argues that joint panels to be established on topics such as ferry electrification, tugboat technology, oil spill response, search and rescue, smart anchoring, port decarbonization, and marine habitat protection will not resolve sovereignty disputes; however, they could build "a habit of functional coexistence." As the author puts it, "in maritime civilization, the guiding vessel sometimes comes before the diplomat."

The section of the article that most clearly reflects İstikbal's legal identity is dedicated to maritime law and dispute resolution. İstikbal states that a maritime nation is built not only with ships, ports, and shipyards but also with courts, arbitration institutions, enforceable contracts, and legal memory, highlighting the Istanbul Arbitration Center established in 2015 and its potential to serve as a regional alternative to the traditional London-centered model. He notes that firms like Esenyel & Partners demonstrate that maritime law is no longer a marginal specialty in Turkey but a serious professional ecosystem, concluding his article with the following statement:

This chariot metaphor overlaps with another article in the issue. Harun Şişmanyazıcı discusses the tension between the US, Israel, and Iran in his article titled "Charioteer-less Chariot," drawing on the chariot metaphor from Plato's Phaedrus dialogue; he discusses the turbulence experienced by contemporary state intelligence and the international legal order with the image of the charioteer letting go of the reins.

Interviews: The Direction of Turkish Maritime

The interview pages of the issue focus on the direction of Turkish maritime during a period of reshaping global trade. Tamer Kıran, Chairman of the Board of Directors of İMEAK DTO, states that maritime is now measured not only by tonnage, port, or fleet size but also by strategic geography, resilient logistics networks, technological capability, and environmental compliance. According to the data shared by Kıran, approximately 86% of Turkey's foreign trade cargo is transported by sea; the Turkish-owned commercial fleet has reached 2,173 vessels and a capacity of 50.7 million DWT; by 2025, cargo handled at ports is expected to exceed 553 million tons, and container handling is expected to surpass approximately 14.0 million TEU. Kıran emphasizes that competition is now measured not merely by tonnage but by technology, efficiency, and environmental compliance, defining the green transition as a necessity rather than a choice.

Murat Kıran, evaluating the transformation of Turkish shipbuilding, states that decarbonization targets and alternative fuel technologies have created a new paradigm in the shipbuilding sector; Turkish shipyards have become competitive in niche segments such as tugboats, fishing vessels, offshore support vessels, and military platforms. He notes that Turkey is becoming not only a producer but also an increasingly technology-focused maritime actor, highlighting that zero-emission ship projects are in strong demand, particularly in Europe. Kıran describes Posidonia 2026 as one of the most important platforms where innovative projects, engineering capabilities, and solution-oriented approaches of Turkish shipbuilding will meet with international stakeholders.

The perspective on the marine insurance ecosystem is provided by Emin Yaşacan, Chairman of North Insurance & Reinsurance Brokers. Yaşacan states that marine insurance is no longer merely a coverage relationship; it is an extremely sensitive market where geopolitical developments are priced almost in real-time. In an environment where war risk premiums have skyrocketed, and in some operations, the issue has become not the price but whether "capacity can be secured," he emphasizes that the broker's duty is not only to place policies but to "keep the operation afloat"; he notes that brokerage services have transformed into a strategic partnership in areas such as sanction regimes, salvage costs, and crisis management.

The portrait interview in the issue features Yusuf Kanıcı, founder of YAF GROUP. Kanıcı recounts how a career that began on a ship's deck transformed into an initiative with Taizhou Marine established in China during the 2008 crisis, evolving into an entity operating in China, Korea, Germany, Dubai, and Turkey today; he shares Turkey's strategic position in ship spare parts supply, the cost advantage provided by the warehouse and independent storage infrastructure in Tuzla, and decarbonization efforts such as solid-state batteries and fuel-efficient propeller designs. Kanıcı advises young professionals to remain passionately committed to the sector, stating, "The limit of dreams is determined not by geography but by courage."

News Roundup: The Pulse of the Sector

The news pages of the ninety-seventh issue broadly convey the current agenda of Turkish and global maritime. In the May 21, 2026, meeting of the İMEAK DTO Assembly, Vice Chairman Recep Düzgit stated that the uncertainty regarding the Strait of Hormuz has increased supply risks in the energy and food sectors, noting that global maritime trade has been negatively affected following developments on February 28, and that the global maritime transport volume declined by 2.3% year-on-year in April. Düzgit reminded that the "Ship Agents Regulation" prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure was published in the Official Gazette on May 14, 2026, and stated that the 2026 maritime tourism season will officially begin with the Eid al-Adha holiday.

Notable developments on the shipbuilding and fleet renewal front are also reported. BOTAŞ's tugboat "Silivri," built by UZMAR, featuring Voith Schneider propellers and LNG-diesel dual fuel, stands out as a concrete step in the fleet renewal strategy with a bollard pull of 80 tons, alongside its sister vessel "Sultanhanı." The delivery of the 82-ton bollard pull escort tug "GAIA" by Sanmar Shipyard to Greek operator NEMECA and the signing of a €21 million agreement for two new tugboats for the Port of Piraeus through the SVS joint venture (Vernicos Scafi, Spanopoulos, Lyboussakis) are seen as signs of Sanmar's strengthened relationship with the Greek maritime community in its 50th year.

Another news item in the issue is dedicated to the Marine Insurance Turkey Symposium held on May 20, 2026, at Sheraton Istanbul Ataköy. The symposium addressed the increasingly complex structure of marine insurance in the shadow of geopolitical uncertainty, sanctions, war risks, cyber threats, and rising operational costs; risk management in the Strait, shadow fleets, sanction compliance, and ship recycling emerged as prominent topics. The main sponsorship of the event was undertaken by Esenyel & Partners, the subject of the cover interview, reinforcing the emphasis that marine insurance risk should be read alongside contracts, compliance, and dispute resolution. Additionally, the opening of the Ankara Office of İMEAK DTO on April 23, 2026, at Mahall Ankara in Çankaya was reported as a step to strengthen the Chamber's representation capacity in the capital, attended by TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and Maritime General Manager Ünal Baylan.

The General Directorate of Coastal Safety (KEGM) has placed an order for six emergency response tugboats with Sanmar, Ereğli, and Uzmar shipyards to strengthen emergency response capacity in Turkish waters; Prof. Dr. Oral Erdoğan, Chairman of Turkish Lloyd's Board of Directors, announced before Posidonia that the institution, established in 1962, emphasizes independence, scientific rigor, and public benefit, and that they will host guests at the fair at "Stand No: 1.403/6"; YASA Group entered the container segment with an order for two

Source: SeaNews Türkiye