Recognized for its pioneering investments in the Turkish Maritime Shipping sector, Arkas Holding launched a regular container service line between domestic ports for the first time in Turkey on Cabotage Day on July 1st.

The project was implemented by Arkas Line, which is the shipping company owned by Arkas Holding, and Arkas Anadolu Logistics, which provides integrated transportation services, and will bring significant unused potential to domestic transportation in Turkey.
Cabotage shipments provide an important advantage for both the Turkish economy and customers with freight. Advantages for the Turkish economy include reducing the amount of freight transported overland for long distances, support for manufacturers in Turkey regarding freight charges with the integrated use of different types of shipping, development of existing ports through the utilization of unused spare capacity and the encouragement of new port development. It also offers numerous advantages to the customer such as the price and capacity benefits provided by transporting large quantities of freight at one time as well as avoiding price changes related to seasonal fluctuations. In his remarks at the ceremony commemorating the first cabotage shipment which was scheduled for the Shipping and Cabotage Day on July 1st at Marport, Arkas Holding Executive President of the Chairman Bernard Arcas, said, “We first began talking about container transportation to domestic ports in 1996. It was during this same time that we laid the foundations for our fleet of vessels bearing the Turkish flag. When we were taking delivery of our ships, we were dreaming of the day when we would use them for transportation in domestic ports. On July 1st of this year, we made this dream a reality. With cabotage shipments, Turkish ports are connected to each other, and manufacturers in the hinterland of smaller ports far away from the primary ports are connected to foreign ports with cost-effective shipping possibilities. Our vessels provide regular weekly container service via cabotage shipments between the ports of Istanbul-Gemlik-Izmir-Mersin as well as offering import-export shipping by calling at the port of Gazimağusa in TRNC. We will also be able to carry out feeder freight with this line. Having cabotage freight and feeder freight transported together no longer poses a problem.”
Arkas Holding Executive President of the Chairman, Diane Arcas Aktaş, also spoke at the same ceremony. She noted how they had diversified transportation modes and offered industrialists rail and maritime alternatives for the purpose of providing logistics services in the most cost-effective manner from a single administrative point and that with the regular cabotage line, they had completed another leg of the intermodal transportation system that includes overland and rail transport.

More tonnage in a single trip with lower costs
Arkas Anadolu Logistics carried out cabotage shipment with containers for the first time in Turkey by transporting freight from the factories of customers in Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, Mersin, Adana, Cyprus and Gaziantep between ports and delivering it to the final destination via overland or rail transport. Now, it is reducing the company's workload in heavy tonnage shipments by adding cabotage shipping between domestic ports. A shipment that would take 20-30 vehicles several days via overland transportation and with high tonnage can be delivered via ship to the desired port in a single shipment. The fact that the freight is transported in containers without spoiling or damage is another benefit to the customer.





Istanbul: Sevgi Işık, (0212) 340 51 87 sevgi.isik@arkasanadolulojistik.com.tr