‘Blue Economy’ was discussed at the DTO Kocaeli Assembly

The September Ordinary Assembly Meeting of Istanbul and Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean and Black Sea Regions (IMEAK) Chamber of Shipping (DTO) Kocaeli Branch was held in the branch service building under the chairmanship of the Assembly President Vefa Ibrahim Araci.

The meeting started after a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem; Gulf District Governor Uğur Kalkar, Gulf Municipality Mayor Şener Söğüt, Gulf Chamber of Commerce Chairman Recep Öztürk, Kocaeli University Maritime Faculty Deputy Dean Dr. Lecturer Member Umur Bucak, Kocaeli University Karamürsel Vocational School Director Dr. Lecturer Member Muhammed Bamyacı, Eastern Marmara Customs Consultants Association President Sadi Vatan, KOTSİAD President Erkan Gül, İzmit Young Businessmen Association President Kerem Oğuz, Yarımca Sailing Club President Recep İlgün, Hereke Özel Hergüner Maritime Coordinator Adem Kayıkçı, Nicomedia Water Sports and Underwater Hunting Sports Club Managers, Gulf Chamber of Tradesmen and Gulf City Council Presidents, council members and stakeholders of the maritime community attended.

“We want to leave the maritime city”

IMEAK DTO Kocaeli Branch Assembly President Vefa İbrahim Nakit, who made the opening speech of the September Assembly Meeting, greeted the participants and read the assembly agenda. Afterwards, Vedat Doğusel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of İMEAK DTO Kocaeli Branch, came to the podium and said, “It is very nice to be in this assembly with you today. We are all homeowners here. We always have conversations. We are trying to do our best together for the blue homeland, blue economy and maritime. Thank you, our Metropolitan Municipality and Gulf Municipality listen to our every call. As we explain our problems and troubles and try to get out of the situation together, the results become more positive and easier. Our duty, together with non-governmental organizations and academia, is to identify the truths of the region with the realities of the world and to leave a maritime city to future generations. That’s why we’re all here today. “Hopefully, we will build the future together,” he said.

“We closely monitor bottom mud cleaning.”

Evaluating the bottom mud cleaning works carried out by the Metropolitan Municipality, DTO Kocaeli Branch Chairman Doğusel said, “As İMEAK Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch, we would like to express that we closely follow the sea-facing projects. We also realize the importance of the Izmit Gulf Bottom Sludge Cleaning Project. “We think that the 120 million dollar project, carried out by Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality with the support of the Presidency and the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, is one of the biggest steps taken to create a clean Izmit Bay and will set an example for Turkey in a short time.”

He evaluated the ‘Blue Economy’

Doğusel, who gave important information by talking about the blue economy, said, “As you all know, one of the agendas of our parliamentary meeting this month is the blue economy. As it is known, ecological crises, on the one hand, reduce the biological diversity in the world, and on the other hand, they have become a threat to human life. In order to first reduce and then eliminate this threat, we have to protect the ecosystems and biodiversity of the seas and oceans covering three-quarters of the world. “On the other hand, we must understand the blue economy model well and fulfill the requirements of this economy for the efficiency of food and energy obtained from the seas and oceans,” he said.

Continuing his speech by underlining that Kocaeli is a very valuable place for the blue economy, Vedat Doğusel said, “The city we live in, Kocaeli, is one of the most important cities of our country in terms of the feasibility of the blue economy. We see that all kinds of economic activities related to the sea, including fishing, shipbuilding, maritime transportation and marine tourism, are in Kocaeli. This is why we should strive for a healthier marine ecosystem and biodiversity and contribute to studies in this direction. “I would like to state that we will do more work on the blue economy model in the future,” he said.

Derince is at the top again in exports

Doğusel, who provided information about Kocaeli Port Statistics; “According to the data of the Eastern Marmara Customs and Foreign Trade Regional Directorate, our exports reached 24 billion 991 million dollars in the first eight months of this year, while our imports reached 54 billion 25 million dollars. While Derince was the customs gate that exported the most in the first eight months with 12 billion 23 million dollars, Dilovası, following Derince, had exports of 5 billion 674 million dollars. Our Derince and Dilovası customs gates were at the top in our imports. While 20 billion 839 million dollars of imports were realized in Derince Customs Directorate, 16 billion 774 million dollars of imports were realized in Dilovası Customs Directorate.

“The number of ships calling at Kocaeli is 6 thousand 510”

The tax collected by the Eastern Marmara Customs and Foreign Trade Directorate in the first eight months is 202 billion 626 million Turkish liras. In August 2023, there were decreases in our exports and imports compared to the previous month. While there was a 11.8% decrease in exports, there was a 12.2% decrease in imports. As for ship statistics; In the first eight months of 2023, a total of 6,510 ships called in Kocaeli, including 1,979 Turkish flag ships and 4,531 foreign flag ships. 16.2% of the ships calling in Turkey belong to the province of Kocaeli. While 18 million 449 thousand tons were handled in loading, 36 million 275 thousand tons of cargo were handled in unloading. A total of 54 million 725 thousand tons were handled and Turkey received a 15.7% share in total. “In container handling, our city ranks 2nd in Turkey after Istanbul Ambarlı with a total of 1,389,708 TEU,” he said.

Gulf Chamber of Commerce Chairman Recep Öztürk, who came to the podium after Doğusel to express his feelings and thoughts, said, “Vedat Doğusel and his team tell us about the blue homeland and the importance of maritime in a very valuable way. He tirelessly and constantly shares with us maritime and where Kocaeli should be in terms of maritime. I would like to thank him personally for this matter. As the Gulf Chamber of Commerce, we try to contribute as much as we can on any maritime-related issue. “I believe that together, we will further increase our country’s economy and the income that maritime brings to our country,” he said.

Söğüt: “DTO Kocaeli is working hard for the Blue Economy”

In his speech at the council meeting, Körfez Municipality Mayor Şener Söğüt said, “Especially our IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch Chairman Vedat Doğusel talked to us about the importance of the blue economy. The importance of the council meeting held today to get to know the blue homeland, maritime and the sea better, and to make our bond with the sea even stronger, is truly great and meaningful. We live in a district with 20 kilometers of seashore. We live in the district where the ports are located. We know; 80% of world trade is carried out by sea transport. Our Chamber of Shipping is working hard to fulfill all the dynamics in order to increase our share in trade in this sector, both as a country, as a province and as a district. It is very important to form a common mind. I believe; “Such meetings will make maritime trade in our city stronger and more important,” he said.

Kalkar: “We support the development of maritime”

Finally, Gulf District Governor Uğur Kalkar, addressing the council members, said, “Körfez district has a structure where urbanization is towards the seashore. In addition, it is a district where various industrial activities and maritime trade activities are carried out on the seashore. As a district, we benefit from our seas in terms of trade through our ports and channels. We live on a coastline of approximately 20 kilometers where cities, industry and commerce are intertwined. Maritime is certainly a very important sector. Maritime trade is the most fundamental aspect of trade in the world. As a district, we want maritime trade to develop. “We are doing whatever is necessary for the development of maritime under the leadership of IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch, and we will continue to do so,” he said.

Informational presentations were made

IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch September Ordinary Assembly meeting was held by Kocaeli University Maritime Faculty Deputy Dean Dr. Lecturer Member Umur Bucak’s ‘Blue Strategy and Economy’ ended with the introduction of the association by Izmit Young Businessmen’s Association President Kerem Oğuz, and the sectoral opinions and suggestions of the members.