“We are ranked 12th in the world with 50 million DWT”

The 15th Ordinary Assembly Meeting of December, which is the last assembly meeting of Istanbul and Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean and Black Sea Regions (İMEAK) Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch of 2023, was held in Gebze V (Chemistry) Specialized Organized Industrial Zone (GEBKİM). It was held in the Hall. Stating that Turkish maritime has made a breakthrough in 2023, IMEAK DTO Kocaeli Branch Chairman Vedat Doğusel said, “The fact that the capacity of our Turkish-owned maritime transportation fleet ranks 12th in the world with 50 million DWT is an important success for our community and our country.” The ‘Maritime Training Application Center in Kocaeli’ project, aimed at making Kocaeli the center of maritime in Turkey, was also discussed with academicians, stakeholders and council members in the parliament.

“INTENSE PARTICIPATION IN THE ASSEMBLY”

To the parliament; Gulf District Governor Uğur Kalkar, Körfez Municipality Mayor Şener Söğüt, Eastern Marmara Customs and Foreign Trade Regional Manager Yaşar Yaman Ocak, Kocaeli University (KOÜ) Maritime Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. Soner Esmer, KOÜ Maritime Faculty Vice Dean. Dr. Lecturer Member Umur Bucak and Maritime Faculty Lecturer. Member Murat Yorulmaz, Karamürsel Maritime Vocational School Director Dr. Lecturer Member Muhammed Bamyacı, Customs Consultants Association President Sadi Vatan, Gölcük and Hereke Technical Anatolian High School Principals, Kocaeli University Maritime Faculty Alumni Association, our council members and maritime stakeholders attended.

“WE WISH GOD’S PEACE TO OUR MARTYRS”

At the opening of the parliamentary meeting, a moment of silence was observed for our soldiers who were martyred in the conflict that broke out in the Operation Claw-Lock region in northern Iraq. Speaker of the Parliament Vefa Ibrahim Araci wished God’s mercy to our martyred soldiers and patience to their families and the Turkish nation. Vedat Doğusel, Chairman of the Board of IMEAK DTO Kocaeli Branch, who came to the podium after the moment of silence and the National Anthem, said, “Before making a general evaluation, as you know, 12 of our soldiers were martyred last week as a result of terrorists’ attempts to infiltrate the base area in the Northern Iraq region. “We wish God’s mercy on our martyrs, patience to their families and a speedy recovery to our wounded soldiers,” he said.

“IT IS AN IMPORTANT SUCCESS FOR OUR COUNTRY”

Vedat Doğusel continued his statements by stating that the country has undertaken major reforms in the maritime sector and said, “As you know, Maritime Transportation covers 85% of the world trade volume and 87% of our country’s foreign trade. IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. The reform and steady steps taken in the maritime sector in recent years with the efforts of Tamer Kıran and the fact that the capacity of our Turkish-owned maritime transportation fleet has risen to 12th place in the world with 50 million DWT is an important success for our community and our country. Our province of Kocaeli is; Turkey’s maritime transportation constitutes 18% of its foreign trade, in short, one fifth. “The fact that it ranks first in the number of ships and cargo handling in our city, where 36 port facilities are located, and that 78% of the cargo handled is export and 88% is import, emphasizes the importance of Kocaeli in the maritime sector,” he said.

“WE THINK IT WAS A PRODUCTIVE YEAR”

Doğusel said, “The fact that the slowdown in the global economy has come to a halt within the scope of world statistical data indicates that we can receive positive signals in the next year. We would like to express that, as the economic world, we are experiencing a very busy production period with days left before the end of 2023. During this period, when the effects of the pandemic on the economy were greatly reduced, the domestic demand imbalance created by the increases in interest rates caused further contraction in some sectors. Despite everything, we think that 2023 will be a productive year in terms of production and exports. We also believe that better days await the Turkish economy in 2024.”

“MINIMUM WAGE MUST BE MEET AT A REASONABLE POINT”

Addressing the issue of minimum wage, DTO Kocaeli Branch Chairman of the Board of Directors Vedat Doğusel stated that a reasonable point should be found by the employer and employee and said, “On the other hand, every December is of course the minimum wage month. Our ministry and worker representatives are working hard to reach the best figure. While we want the minimum wage to be reduced to a reasonable point, we also want this increase not to be at a point that would stop the wheels for our employer. “We want to achieve the right increase rate for both segments in order for investment and production to continue in Turkey,” he said.

DERİNCE IS AT THE TOP AGAIN IN EXPORTS

Sharing the port statistics at the meeting, Doğusel said, “According to the data of the Eastern Marmara Customs and Foreign Trade Regional Directorate, our exports reached 34 billion 673 million dollars in the first eleven months of this year, while our imports reached 73 billion 917 million dollars. Our customs gate that exported the most in the first eleven months was Derince with 16 billion 480 million dollars, while Dilovası, following Derince, had exports of 7 billion 831 million dollars. In our imports, Dilovası and Derince customs gates were at the top. While 22 billion 330 million dollars of imports were realized in Dilovası Customs Directorate, 28 billion 853 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 eleven months is 309 billion 460 million liras. “Compared to last month, there was a decrease of -2.3% in exports and -12% in imports,” he said.

“NUMBER OF SHIPS CALLING KOCAELI IS 8 THOUSAND 767”

Mayor Vedat Doğusel, who also presented data on ship statistics, said, “In the first eleven months of 2023, 2 thousand 641 Turkish flag ships and 6 thousand 126 foreign flag ships will arrive in Kocaeli; A total of 8 thousand 767 ships stopped by. 15.8% of the ships calling in Turkey belong to the province of Kocaeli. While 25 million 821 thousand tons were handled in loading, 48 million 612 thousand tons of cargo were handled in unloading. A total of 74 million 433 thousand tons were handled and Turkey received a 15.7% share of the total. “In container handling, our province ranks 2nd in Turkey with a total of 1,964,188 TEU,” he said.

“THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE CHAMBER OF MARITIME COMMERCE TO KOCAELI IS VERY IMPORTANT”

Eastern Marmara Customs and Foreign Trade Regional Director Yaşar Yaman Ocak, who attended the assembly and made a statement, started his speech by wishing God’s mercy to our soldiers who were martyred in the Claw-Lock Operation and said, “I would like to thank our president, Mr. Vedat Doğusel, for hosting us here. The contributions of our İMEAK Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch to Turkey and Kocaeli have reached a very important level. Mr. Doğusel and his team are developing Kocaeli not only in terms of marine economy but also in marine tourism. I congratulate them once again for their visionary work. In addition, imports and exports are increasing every year in our Derince and Dilovası ports. “I would like to thank our porters, fishermen and every individual working in the maritime sector for the added value they give to our country, and I hope that 2024 will bring health and success.”

“IT IS PRECIOUS TO INVEST IN THE SEA”

Speaking after Ocak, Gulf Municipality Mayor Şener Söğüt said, “First of all, I wish God’s mercy to our soldiers who were martyred in the north of Iraq, and patience to their families and the Turkish people. I attended many meetings of our DTO Kocaeli Branch. We always talked about the sea. We talked about the contributions of the sea to our country and our country. We know that countries that are strong at sea are also strong economically. We are watching these powerful countries establish more sovereignty and dominance in the seas. Especially in recent years, maritime trade has a very important place in country economies. The data you have disclosed reveals where maritime trade has come from in our country. Investing in the sea is valuable. I would like to thank each and every person who is in this parliament or serves in this sector. You add strength to our country’s economy. I know that your effort, effort and diligence; “to carry this power to even higher levels,” he said.

KALKAR: “KÖRFEZ DISTRICT IS THE MARITIME DISTRICT”

Gulf District Governor Uğur Kalkar, who made the last speech of the parliament meeting, started his speech by wishing God’s mercy to our 12 soldiers who were martyred in the past days and good health to their families and the Turkish nation. Kalkar said, “I have been working in our Gulf district for more than 1 year. Körfez district is a maritime district, a district where maritime trade is strong. Our district has a structure that is developing day by day. I can say that the maritime trade sector is at the forefront of this development. The Gulf, which used the sea as a summer resort in previous years, has become a large industry and a district where maritime trade comes to the fore with the development it has shown in recent years. Maritime is a sector that has reached a very important point in our district. “I would like to thank our esteemed president Vedat Doğusel and his friends who walked with him for their contributions to this,” he said.

‘MARA TRAINING APPLICATION CENTER IN KOCAELI’ WAS PRESENTED

December 15th Ordinary Assembly Meeting of IMEAK Chamber of Shipping Kocaeli Branch was attended by KOÜ Maritime Faculty Dean Prof. Dr. After Soner Esmer’s presentation on “Marine Training Application Center in Kocaeli”, it ended with our members conveying their sectoral opinions and suggestions.