Turkish ports handle up to 90% of foreign trade [ANALYSIS]

Turkey’s seaports are considered key infrastructure for the country’s transportation system. Their management and transshipment terminals are under full state control, and full military and cybersecurity are ensured.

About 85–90% of Turkey’s foreign trade is carried by sea. In 2025, 553.3 million tons of bulk, liquid, and general cargo were transshipped through Turkish ports, the highest volume in Turkish history. Russia is the largest supplier to Turkish ports, with over 90 million tons annually. Italy is the dominant importer, driving a turnover of approximately 60 million tons annually.

2026 saw further records broken. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said: “In April, our Turkish ports handled 48,230,930 tons of cargo and 1,179,454 TEU containers, breaking the all-time record for April,” according to TurkMarinews.com. The number of containers handled in ports this month increased by 7.6% compared to the same month last year.

In 2026, from January to April, the volume of cargo handled increased by 2.1% compared to the same period in 2025, exceeding 185.6 million tons, while the number of containers moved increased by 2.4%, exceeding 4.55 million TEU, according to data compiled by the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs.

International scheduled Ro-Ro lines in Turkey handled approximately 706,400 vehicles in 2024 – an increase of 0.22% (1,500 vehicles) compared to the previous year. Over the past three years, Turkey’s international Ro-Ro transport has remained above 700,000 vehicles, regardless of seasonal fluctuations.

Passenger traffic is also growing dynamically. Cruise terminals are experiencing a steady increase in tourist traffic. In Turkey, 27 ports provide services to passengers and cruise ships. Since 2020, the number of cruise ships and passengers calling at ports has been increasing.

After a slump during the Covid-19 pandemic, 2024 saw a peak in cruise passenger numbers. Nearly 1,200 tourist ships have docked at Turkish ports annually in recent years. In 2023-2024, the number of cruise ship passengers increased by 22.5%, welcoming almost 1.9 million passengers to ports.

Port Transshipment in Turkey. Source: “Turkish Port Sector 2025.” Port Operators Association of Turkey (TÜRKLIM)

Ports as the Economic Backbone

The high dynamics of port turnover is the result of the Turkish economy’s increasingly integrated into the international economic system and the benefits of good trade relations with its Russian partners. This represents a continuation of the upward trend from previous years. The effect of the Turkish economy’s good relations with its international environment was also noticeable last year, noted Ayşe Aslı Başak, founder of Shipsider, in “Turkish Woodworking Machinery Magazine” in May of this year.

“Thanks to its strategic geographic location and robust port infrastructure, Turkey functions as a key regional transshipment hub for the transport of liquid cargo,” emphasizes Dr. Selçuk Denizhan, Poliport Kimya San. ve Tic. A.S. – General Manager, TÜRKLIM Board Member and Chairman of the Liquid Bulk Working Group, in the “Turkish Port Sector 2025” report.

Turkish liquid cargo terminals have extensive facilities and are located near seaports. (Denizhan emphasizes that “they not only meet domestic market demand but also play a significant role in transit trade.” The transit of strategic raw materials is handled by operators who operate through port infrastructure located in industrial and logistics centers such as Kocael, Izmir, Mersin, and Hatay.

Record-breaking 2025

December 2025 was the month with the highest transshipment volume last year. Turkish ports achieved a new record in maritime trade. According to data from the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, Turkish ports handled 49.8 million tons of cargo in December 2025. This represented a 7.6% increase compared to the same month in 2024. Container transshipment increased by 5.9%, reaching 1.17 million TEU.

The total volume of cargo outbound from Turkish ports to foreign ports reached 11.6 million tons. Imports from foreign destinations reached 25.9 million tons. This figure is largely driven by oil imports. Overall, international cargo transport increased by 5.5% year-on-year, reaching 37.5 million tons.

Transit cargo also increased last year. It also saw growth. According to Minister Uraloğlu, this reflects stronger activity across all maritime trade segments. Among regional port authorities, Aliağa Terminals led the way with 8.18 million tons of transshipment (in December 2025 alone). Next came operators operating in Kocaeli with 7.35 million tons and İskenderun with 6.02 million tons.

The largest monthly increase in transshipment was recorded by liquefied natural gas (LNG), whose transshipment increased by 1.19 million tons compared to November, reaching a total of 2.55 million tons in December. Cement dominated exports from Turkish ports, approaching 808,800 tons. Other significant exports included clinker (645.5 million tons) and fuel oil produced from Russian crude oil (409,100 tons).

Port Transshipment in Turkey by Cargo Group. Source: “Turkish Port Sector 2025.” Port Operators Association of Turkey (TÜRKLIM)

Russia is the Largest Supplier

Italy is the main recipient of goods exported through Turkish ports. The United States and Egypt are the next largest recipients of goods loaded onto ships in Turkey. Russia, however, remained the largest supplier of cargo arriving at Turkish ports by sea. An analysis of transshipment in Turkish ports suggests that the geopolitical turmoil has been exploited by the Turkish economy to strengthen its position in the international market.

The latest “Turkish Port Sector 2025” report states that 194 leading entities handle international maritime transport. Of these, 87 (45%) are located in the Sea of ​​Marmara region, 49 (25%) in the Mediterranean region, 32 (17%) in the Black Sea region, and 26 (13%) in the Aegean region.

There are 35 leading maritime trade operators in Kocael Province. There are 20 ports in Hatay, and 18 in Izmir. There are 17 ports in and around Istanbul. A total of 77 ports operating in Turkey are members of the Turkish Port Operators Association (TÜRKLIM). TÜRKLIM plays a key role in shaping the Turkish maritime sector.

Ports: A Strategic Segment of the Economy

In recent years, the total annual cargo volume in Turkish ports has exceeded 500 million tons. In 2025, the total volume of cargo handled in Turkish ports increased by 4%, reaching 553.3 million tons. This is the highest increase in turnover in the history of Turkish ports. The dominant partner is the Russian Federation, with deliveries, primarily of crude oil, exceeding 90 million tons annually. Importers using Italian ports drive the turnover of Turkish ports in export relations.

Source: “Turkish Port Sector 2025.” Port Operators Association of Turkey (TÜRKLIM)

Approximately 85% to 90% of Turkish exports and imports are transported by sea. These volumes are primarily driven by the transshipment of crude oil, LNG, and bulk cargo. However, the volume of general cargo and other containerized goods is also growing. Therefore, transshipment at container terminals is also steadily increasing. Last year, container terminal cranes increased transshipment to nearly 14 million TEU.

The high dynamics of the supply of goods and liquid cargoes meant that transshipment at Turkish ports reached 414.4 million tons in 2025. This represents a significant increase compared to 2024. Furthermore, the volume of container supply at quays reached a historic high of 13.9 million TEU. Turkish ports are investing heavily in infrastructure and superstructure development, increasing their capacity in recent years. This is a result of the government’s active policy, which places significant emphasis on developing the ports’ logistics potential.

Transshipment dynamics in Turkish ports by market. Source: “Turkish Port Sector 2025.” Port Operators Association of Turkey (TÜRKLIM)