World Ocean Council’s Post

Eurostat ranks Turkey as the second European country in terms of the gross weight of goods handled in all ports and the first European country in terms of the gross weight of goods transported by short sea shipping. This is not surprising as the country has around 100 ports, almost 200 shipyards and hundreds of shipping companies. Two weeks ago I was invited to a maritime event in the Bay of Tuzla, which has one of the highest densities of shipyards in the world. There were about forty of us, but only Lisa Simone de Grunt, coordinator of the European Union-funded GREEN MARINE MED project, and I were from abroad. I felt like I had been invited to a secluded Turkish gathering. The event was organised by the Turkish Shipbuilders’ Association (GISBIR)' and NAVTEK Naval Technologies Inc. Three other EU-funded projects were also presented: RESTORE Project, BASE and NEMOSHIP. The focus was on Green Marine Med, which was later discussed in working groups from a Turkish perspective. Green Marine Med aims to provide a Mediterranean contribution to the decarbonisation debate. The project aims to provide a clear assessment of the status quo of green shipping in the Mediterranean and to create a strong and sustainable network of key players in the Mediterranean green shipping ecosystem. It will also look at how to improve access to finance for green shipping and how to promote and facilitate innovation. And, of course, it aims to secure a legacy so that the network can continue for years to come. To this end, a consortium of 19 members from seven countries, led by the renowned World Ocean Council and the innovative Centro Tecnológico Naval y del Mar - CTN, was established in 2023. Some of the other members are: Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University, CENIT, IMPACT2DAY, Maritime Technology Cluster FVG - mareFVG, NAVTEK Naval Technologies Inc., and Port de Barcelona. One of the many contributions that will come out of the project is a Turkish-Spanish collaboration between NAVTEK and the Port of Barcelona, which will jointly develop a pre-feasibility study for the decarbonisation of the port, as the authorities are now focusing on sustainability and promoting a wide range of measures, including the development of alternative fuels and shore power for cruise ships and port vessels. The event was attended by representatives of GİSBİR and several shipyards, maritime universities, companies and NGOs. I emphasised that Turkey has impressive comparative advantages for its maritime industry: highly educated naval architects and marine engineers; highly qualified shipyards for building, refitting and scrapping ships; competitive wages; proximity to the EU and other European countries, etc. The event concluded with a visit to the multi-award-winning ZEETUG designs, a silent 45BP all-electric tug that spun in the bay like a skater on ice thanks to its 360 azimuth stern drive. Disclosure: Pablo Rodas-Martini is a Contributor to NAVTEK Projects. WaterborneTP #maritime