October 13th Ordinary Assembly Meeting of IMEAK DTO Kocaeli Branch was held

The October 13th 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 branch, which held a meaningful meeting on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of our Republic, decorated the assembly hall and the building with Turkish Flags. Historian-Writer Volkan Şenel introduced the photo exhibition of ‘Atatürk’s visits to Kocaeli’ to the participants before the parliamentary meeting.

Participation in the parliament was intense

The meeting started after a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem; Public Officials Ethics Committee Member İbrahim Karaosmanoğlu, Kocaeli Industry and Technology Provincial Director İlhan Aydın, Kocaeli University Maritime Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Soner Esmer, Turkish Radio Amateur Association (TRAC) President Aziz Şaşa, Kocaeli Combat Veterans Association, Historian-Writer Volkan Şenel, council members and stakeholders of the maritime community attended.

“We are grateful to Atatürk and his comrades in arms”

Making the opening speech of the meeting, Speaker of the Assembly Vefa İbrahim Nakit started his speech by congratulating the members on 29 October Republic Day. “We have great responsibilities in our goal to raise the Republic of Turkey, founded under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades, to the level of contemporary civilizations, as our Ancestor said. On this occasion, we once again commemorate Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades-in-arms, who enabled us to live freely on this country, with gratitude and mercy. “I would like to thank you for your participation in this special Assembly Meeting within the scope of the 100th anniversary,” he said.

“We will reach our target point”

Vedat Doğusel, Chairman of the Board of Directors of İMEAK DTO Kocaeli Branch, who started his statements by expressing his feelings and thoughts about October 29, said, “As the Turkish nation, we are witnessing a historical time. Our Republic, founded on October 29, 1923, is 100 years old. The Republic of Turkey, founded under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades-in-arms, made great strides in a short time and became an example to the world. The goal of contemporary civilizations that Atatürk presented to us has also become our road map. In the second century of the Republic, in this period we call the Turkey Century, we will reach our target as a country by working harder. “We commemorate the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades with gratitude and mercy,” he said.

“We want the war to end”

Touching on the Israeli-Palestinian war, Doğusel said, “Unfortunately, our world has been witnessing major wars, mistakes and even massacres, especially in recent years. While the Russia-Ukraine war continues, Israel’s attack on innocents living in Gaza has unfortunately approached its first month. We are saddened to observe that while hospitals and places of worship are being bombed in Gaza, children, women and the people of Gaza are being subjected to genocide. “We want the war to end as soon as possible and for the innocent people of Gaza to live as they deserve,” he said.

Derince Port ranks first again

Providing information about Kocaeli Port statistics, Mayor Doğusel said, “According to the data of the Eastern Marmara Customs and Foreign Trade Regional Directorate, our exports reached 28 billion 140 million dollars in the first nine months of this year, while our imports reached 60 billion 725 million dollars. While our customs gate that exported the most in the first nine months was Derince with 13 billion 437 million dollars, Dilovası, following Derince, had exports of 6 billion 390 million dollars. In our imports, Dilovası and Derince customs gates were at the top. While 18 billion 562 million dollars of imports were realized in Dilovası Customs Directorate, 23 billion 585 million dollars of imports were realized in Derince Customs Directorate. The tax collected by the Eastern Marmara Customs and Foreign Trade Directorate in the first nine months is 237 billion 188 million Turkish liras. “There was a 6.2% increase in exports and a 1.3% decrease in imports compared to the previous month,” he said.

“Kocaeli ranks 2nd in Türkiye”

Sharing data on Kocaeli ship statistics, Doğusel said, “As for ship statistics; In the first nine months of 2023, a total of 7,291 ships called in Kocaeli, including 2,209 Turkish flag ships and 5,082 foreign flag ships. 16% of the ships calling in Turkey belong to the province of Kocaeli. While 20 million 918 thousand tons of cargo were handled in loading, 40 million 645 thousand tons of cargo were handled in unloading. A total of 61 million 563 thousand tons were handled and Turkey received a 15.7% share in total. “In container handling, our province ranks 2nd in Turkey with a total of 1,586,102 TEU,” he said.

“We are honored to be here”

Kocaeli Combat Veterans Association Nurettin Recep Sağlık, who came to the podium after President Vedat Doğusel, said, “We are happy to be here today among you. We are honored to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of our Republic, thanks to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades in arms. I hope God does not show another war to our nation. “I would like to thank you again, on behalf of myself and my friends, for inviting us to your council meeting,” he said.

“We must unite industry and the marine sector”

Kocaeli Industry and Technology Provincial Director İlhan Aydın conveyed his feelings and thoughts at the council meeting and said, “I was touched by being present at your council meeting held within the framework of the 100th Anniversary of our Republic. May your parliamentary meeting be fruitful. Kocaeli ranks 7th in Europe with 36 ports. We are in a lucky position as our country is surrounded by seas on three sides and our city has two seas. I think we have to unite our industrial and marine sectors. Because we can transport the products we produce most profitably and easily by sea. 11 billion tons of materials are transported through seas around the world. “I think this number sums up most of everything,” he said.

“We are pleased to work with you”

Continuing his statements by underlining that the Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch has undertaken successful projects, Aydın said, “I closely follow the work of our IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch. We are very happy and enjoy working with you. In these studies, we are in constant contact with our esteemed council president Vefa İbrahim Çözüm and our chairman of the board of directors Vedat Doğusel. The maritime industry is of great importance worldwide. I have full faith that you will bring our country and our city to the places they deserve in the maritime industry. “I wish you success in your maritime work in Türkiye and Kocaeli,” he said.

“We did not win the Republic easily”

The last speaker of the October council meeting, Member of the Ethics Committee for Public Servants, İbrahim Karaosmanoğlu, said: “Congratulations to our October council meeting. We celebrated the 100th anniversary of our Republic and we continue to celebrate. We did not win the Republic very easily. A collapsed, destroyed, burned and exhausted nation has risen again in poverty. God appointed Ataturk to help this nation rise. Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades stood up and resurrected this glorious nation by establishing the Republic. I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to them once again.

“DTO Kocaeli’s work is very valuable”

Karaosmanoğlu, emphasizing that industry is in a very valuable place for Turkey to move forward in time, said, “He thinks of great duties for our industrialists and our chambers in order to make our republic strong and glorify it. The work of our IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch is also very valuable in order to help Turkey develop and move forward. You are doing very successful work. I hope this success will increase exponentially. I would like to thank our esteemed president Vedat Doğusel and his team for your brave efforts, may God bless you. I wish you abundance in your earnings. “Our Republic is entrusted to you,” he said.

IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch October 13th Ordinary Assembly Meeting, Historian writer Volkan Şenel, ‘The Road from Kocaeli to the Republic’ and Turkish Radio Amateurs Association (TRAC) President Aziz Şaşa and İbrahim Öcel, It ended with an informative presentation on ‘Amateur Radio and Beyond Communication’.