As of July 1, 2026, the Turkish merchant fleet's capacity hit 54.3 million DWT with 2,262 vessels, marking a significant milestone.
The carrying capacity of the Turkish-owned merchant fleet reached 54.3 million deadweight tons as of July 1, 2026. According to data shared by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, on October 7, the number of ships of 1,000 gross tons and above has increased to 2,262.
By the end of 2025, the fleet, which consisted of 2,234 ships, saw an increase of 28 vessels. In the same comparison, the capacity rose from 51.8 million DWT to 54.3 million DWT. The ministry reported that both the number of ships and the capacity have reached historically high levels.
Long-term data also indicates growth. In the ministry's comparison, the fleet in 2002 consisted of 569 ships and 8.9 million DWT, which has expanded in both number and carrying capacity.
The scope of the statement consists of Turkish-owned ships; this definition does not only refer to vessels flying the Turkish flag. Additionally, the figures announced in October pertain to the fleet snapshot as of July 1, 2026. These distinctions are important for comparing fleet size and flag statistics.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
