The Chamber of Marine Engineers celebrated its 71st anniversary, honoring dedicated members and discussing future goals for the maritime industry.
The Chamber of Marine Engineers of TMMOB celebrated its 71st anniversary, honoring members who have dedicated many years to the profession with plaques.
The event brought together leading figures from the industry, serving as a platform for professional solidarity and the celebration of achievements.
Attendees included former Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs, and Communications Ahmet Arslan, Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, Commander of the Istanbul Shipyard Rear Admiral Recep Erdinç Yetkin, Rector of Piri Reis University Prof. Dr. Nafiz Arıca, Chairman of the Assembly of the Istanbul Chamber of Shipping (İMEAK) Başaran Bayrak, Chairman of the Turkish Shipbuilders' Association (GİSBİR) Murat Kıran, President of the Ship, Yacht and Services Exporters Association Cem Seven, members of GMO, industry representatives, and many invited guests.
During the event, Hüseyinoğlu emphasized that economic development is directly linked to social peace, justice, and prosperity. He reiterated the ship engineering oath he took 30 years ago, expressing their intention to manage the chamber with this understanding. He noted that GMO is one of the founding chambers of TMMOB, led the establishment of the Turkish Lloyd Foundation in 1962, and that five of the founding signatures of GİSBİR belong to ship engineers.
Hüseyinoğlu stated that GMO has expanded its professional oversight and registration activities, announcing the management of plan approval processes for unclassified vessels and the transition to providing survey services with the authorization of the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs and the General Directorate of Shipyards and Coastal Structures. He described this process as a revolution for the chamber and mentioned their goal to employ 5-6 ship engineers within GMO by 2026. Highlighting that shipbuilding is a strategic sector, he pointed out that the export revenue per kilogram in ship and yacht construction is approximately $11, significantly above the average for Turkey's overall exports. He also stated that Turkey needs a Ministry of Maritime Affairs, noting that Greece, with a population of 11 million, has a Ministry of Maritime Affairs, while Turkey does not have a separate ministry in this field. He extended his gratitude to everyone who attended the 71st anniversary of the chamber.
During the night, members who have dedicated many years to the profession were honored. Members celebrating their 50th, 40th, and 25th anniversaries in the profession were awarded plaques and certificates of appreciation. The speeches made during the event emphasized Turkey's achievements in maritime and ship engineering, the contributions of young engineers to the sector, and the chamber's goals for the upcoming period.
Participants reflected on both the past successes of the industry and reinforced the importance of professional solidarity once again.
