Surf and turf

My country is surrounded by seas on three sides. Turkey’s coastal strip is 8,400 kilometers, whereas her land borders are 2,700 kilometers long. But Turkey is unable to benefit from the economic opportunities the sea would bring it. Even in Istanbul the lack of sea traffic is appalling.

Maritime countries around the world know how to benefit from their seas. Maritime transportation is the most important one in the world. Looking back at history you will realize that the Ottoman Empire’s downfall came with her loss of her naval power. In actual fact the birth of the state has been through the establishment of maritime trade.

For centuries ship building has been one of the most important sectors in the world. After naval forces dominated the world for centuries, countries started moving to land. Let’s not forget that the American continents were found during a round-the-world maritime expedition.

The shipbuilding sector in Turkey is one of the most important ones, having high value added. It is a real sector, which employs a total of 150,000 people, supporting all side industries and brings into the country a large amount of foreign currency. Ship building is considered the locomotive sector by almost all countries in the world. Where one person works at the ship-building sector six others are employed in the side industries.

Shipbuilding has its own risks. Although security measures have been taken, mortal accidents occur in this sector. The rate of mortality is 10 per 10,000 in Far Eastern countries whereas it is 2 to 3 per 10,000 in EU countries. Unfortunately in Turkey this rate is 3 per 10,000.

Although the number of orders to Turkish shipyards by the beginning of 2007 was 200 this dropped to seven by 2008. By the second half of 2008, 98 orders were postponed and 160 were cancelled. Today the total weight of the orders has dropped from 6.3 million dead weight tonnage to below 2.5 million. By the end of 2008 the number of the layouts in shipyards has reached to 20,000 persons.

Especially in shipyards in Tuzla, Istanbul, the number of workers who died in accidents has hurt us deeply. But now the sector is on the brink of collapsing as it has been hit by the global economic crisis. It is of vital importance for Turkey that the necessary measures have to be taken to save the sector.

There is another danger we will have to face in addition to the order postponements and cancellations. Led by Greece, EU countries want to buy all unfinished ships and add them to their fleets for very low prices. The approximate age of Turkish ships is around 23 years.

If one day EU countries decide that no ships older than 10 years will enter into their ports then a maritime transportation monopoly will be created and the prices will be set up according to their decisions.

Germany, is opening credits of 20 billion euros to its ship building sector through its public bank named KFW. China, through the Eximbank is giving credits of $10 billion to shipyards in the Zhgiang and Jiangs regions.

We have to save and support our shipyards as soon as possible through the necessary measures that have to be taken. If we do it until it’s too late then the sector will be finished.