Use of Turkish flagged ships in foreign trade is increasing

According to the information compiled by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, foreign trade transports in June increased by 2.6 percent compared to the same month of the previous year and reached 33 million 722 thousand 433 tons.

This year, 8.7 percent of the cargo subject to foreign trade handled in ports in June was carried by Turkish flagged ships. The amount of cargo carried by Turkish flagged ships last month increased by 22.9 percent compared to the same month of the previous year with 2 million 922 thousand 48 tons. The amount of cargo carried by foreign-flagged ships increased by 1 percent compared to the same month of the previous year with 30 million 800 thousand 385 tons.

In the January-June period, foreign trade transportation was 194 million 518 thousand 498 tons. Of this, 14 million 375 thousand 119 tons were carried by Turkish flagged ships. This figure was calculated as 13 million 939 thousand 905 tons in the same period of the previous year. Thus, in the first six months of the year, the amount of cargo carried by Turkish flagged ships increased by 3.1 percent.

Looking at the types of cargo transported by Turkish flagged ships in the first half of the year, machinery, transportation equipment, parts and various parts and containers drew attention. In the first six months, 7 million 936 thousand 648 tons of this type of cargo was carried by Turkish flagged ships. This was followed by petroleum products with 2 million 718 thousand 837 tons. In other categories, less than 1 million tons of cargo was transported.

10.7 percent of containers subject to foreign trade were transported by Turkish flag vessels

In June, 10.7 percent of the 841 thousand 420 TEU containers subject to foreign trade handled in ports were carried by Turkish flagged ships. Last month, the amount of containers subject to foreign trade handled by Turkish flag vessels increased by 15.2 percent compared to the same month of the previous year and reached 90 thousand 201 TEU, while the amount of containers subject to foreign trade handled by foreign flag vessels increased by 0.1 percent to 751 thousand 219 TEU.

In the January-June period, the amount of containers subject to foreign trade handled was 4 million 737 thousand 340 TEU, of which 483 thousand 463 TEU were carried by Turkish flagged vessels. This figure showed an increase of 4.2 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.

In this period, 298 thousand 621 TEU of the containers carried by Turkish flagged vessels were full and 184 thousand 843 TEU were empty.