Yusuf Öztürk confirms İzmir Port will not close, highlighting new investments by the Turkey Wealth Fund and the need for stakeholder consultations.
Yusuf Öztürk, the President of the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping (DTO) İzmir Branch, addressed the discussions surrounding İzmir Port that occupied the agenda last month, stating, 'The Turkey Wealth Fund has started investments in the port. The port is not being closed.' Öztürk described the statements suggesting that 'the port should be closed' as 'tragicomic,' emphasizing that he does not find it appropriate to express opinions about the closure of the port without consultations with academics and relevant stakeholders.
Öztürk noted that different alternatives regarding the operational model of the port will be evaluated, and discussions will be held with various operators for both tourism and cargo port operations. He reiterated that he does not agree with the rhetoric surrounding the closure of the port.
Yusuf Öztürk specifically referred to the statements made by ETİK President and Member of the Board of the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, Mehmet İşler, who suggested that 'the port should be closed,' labeling them as 'tragicomic.'
Emphasizing that the economic and sociological aspects of İzmir and its surroundings should be addressed from a multidimensional perspective, Öztürk reiterated that he does not find it appropriate to express opinions about the closure of the port without consultations with academics and relevant stakeholders.
‘THE VAT ISSUE CONTINUES’
Öztürk stated that maritime trade has entered a recovery process following the pandemic, highlighting a significant increase in voyages to the Greek islands, with a total of 2.4 million passenger movements recorded for round trips. He emphasized that the gate visa application played a significant role in this increase. On the Turkish side, he pointed out that the issue regarding the VAT rate applied to maritime tourism vehicles continues, suggesting that it would be appropriate to reassess the current rates.
Öztürk remarked, 'One must analyze well the scenario that would emerge if Greece further reduces its already low VAT rate.' He also mentioned that regulatory work regarding seafarers and pilot captains is ongoing, indicating that new regulations for seafarers working on vessels over 24 meters are on the agenda.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
