In January-October 2024, the cargo turnover of Turkish ports increased by 1.3% compared to the same period last year, reaching 441.9 million tons, the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs of Turkey reported. In October, 44.7 million tons of cargo passed through the ports, which is 0.5% less than in October 2023. The largest volume was handled in the ports of Kocaeli (7.03 million tons), Aliaga (6.63 million tons) and Iskenderun (5.48 million tons).
The main exported goods were Portland cement (625.3 thousand tons), clinker (619.4 thousand tons) and aluminum ore (590.3 thousand tons), and the key export destinations were Italy, China and the United States. Among the imported goods, the leading commodities were anthracite (2.5 million tons), oil (1.9 million tons) and scrap metal (1.37 million tons).
Container handling at Turkish ports increased by 3.3% in October, reaching 1.15 million TEU. Overall, container handling increased by 7.7% in the first 10 months of 2024, reaching 11.2 million TEU, reflecting the growth in the country’s foreign trade operations.