In January-March 2022, throughput of Turkish ports totaled 153.3 million tonnes, up 7.5% YoY, according to the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs of the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
In March, the ports of Turkey handled 43.3 million tonnes, down 6.6% versus February 2022 and up 14% versus February 2023.
The highest throughput in March 2023 was registered in the port of Kocaeli (7.19 million tonnes), Aliaga (6.74 million tonnes), Ceyhan (5.02 million tonnes), Iskenderun (4.1 million tonnes), Mersin (3.74 million tonnes). Turkey’s 10 largest ports handled 36.3 million tonnes which accounts for 84% of the total volume.
Key export cargoes of Turkey are artificial cement (807 thousand tonnes), feldspar (456.5 thousand tonnes), other types of cement (415.6 thousand tonnes), diesel (343 thousand tonnes) and clinker (312.2 thousand tonnes).
Key import cargoes of Turkey are metal scrap (1.98 million tonnes), crude oil (1.89 million tonnes), coal (1.57 million tonnes), diesel fuel (1.48 million tonnes), wheat (1 million tonnes). According to the statement, the steepest fall was registered in import of LNG: its imports were the highest in February but in March it was not among the top 5 imported cargoes.
It should be noted that Russia was the key supplier of coal, crude oil, diesel fuel and wheat in March.
In February, major directions of Turkish exports were Italy (1.29 million tonnes), USA (955 thousand tonnes), Izrael (899 thousand tonnes), Spain (611 thousand tonnes), Greece (564 thousand tonnes). Major importers — Russia (7.2 million tonnes), Egypt (1.27 million tonnes), USA (1.25 million tonnes), Ukraine (968.4 thousand tonnes) and Italy (848.9 thousand tonnes).