Turkey is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of coastline length. Due to its geopolitical significance, maritime transport holds an important place for cargo and passenger transportation in Turkey. Marinas, cargo ports, etc. If we include all types of ports, there are over 180 ports in the country. But which are the largest?

Izmit Port

Also known as Kocaeli, Izmit is not only the production hub of Turkish industry but also one of the most important port cities in Turkey and Europe. Izmit Port hosts 35 facilities of various scales. In terms of handling, Izmit is the seventh largest port in Europe with 72 million tons.
Located at the eastern end of the Sea of Marmara, the Gulf of Izmit plays a crucial role in distributing goods produced in the region’s industrial establishments to the world.
Izmit, an active trade center since ancient times, hosts an average of 10,000 ships annually at its ports.

Haydarpaşa Port

Haydarpaşa Port is just one of Istanbul’s beauties. It is an indispensable sight on ferry routes and an integral part of the Bosphorus. After Ambarlı, it is the largest port in Istanbul with six million tons of cargo annually. The cargo port serves as a ro-ro and container terminal.
The construction of the port began in 1899 by the Anatolian Baghdad Railways Company. Since 1924, it has been under the control of the Railways Administration.
It has two large piers with 21 berths for motorboat service, cargo/dry cargo, container, general cargo, ro-ro, and general cargo/passenger. The longest quay is the general cargo/dry cargo quay, which is over 400 meters long.
There are also some projects expected to be completed by 2023 to make Haydarpaşa Port more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Trabzon Port

Located on the coast of the Black Sea, the world’s largest inland sea, Trabzon Port plays a significant role in transit trade to Iran and Iraq and is a Free Zone area.
With an annual capacity of 5 million tons and a storage area of 3.5 tons, it is the largest port in the Eastern Black Sea Region. Approximately 650 ships visit the port annually.

Derince Port

Located in the Derince district of Kocaeli, the port was built by the Anatolian Baghdad Railways in 1900 and became operational in 1904.
The port is a valuable part of the economy as it serves as the import and export gateway for the Izmit Industrial hinterland. It has a pier length of 1992 meters and an annual ship capacity of 862 tons. The port’s geographical proximity to the region where the automotive industry is located also provides an advantage.

Izmir Port

Also known as Alsancak Port, it is located in the Gulf of Izmir.
Historically, Izmir has always been an important city for trade. During the Ottoman period, Izmir was a significant port, and the first quay was built in 1869. However, the modern version of the port was opened in 1959. Today, Izmir Port is one of the most developed ports.
Located between Western Europe and North Africa, it provides infrastructure, equipment, mixed goods, bulk solid, liquid cargo loading and unloading, Ro-Ro, and passenger services.
It has a pier length of 2959 meters and a capacity of over 3500 ships annually.

Samsun Port

Located in the central part of the Black Sea coast, Samsun Port plays an important role in import loads to Iran and transit traffic, as well as Ro-Ro lines between Turkey and northern countries, thanks to its ideal location.
It has a capacity of 1,130 ships annually and a pier length of 1756 meters.

Iskenderun Port

Iskenderun Port is located in the Mediterranean. Initially, the project was planned at the request of the Ottoman Empire, but these intentions were thwarted due to the challenges brought by World War I. During the occupation years, it was the French government that built the first inner port. After the declaration of the Hatay Republic and its subsequent merger with Turkey, the Turkish government took control of the port. Since then, there has been significant expansion at the port.
Today, it has a quay length of 1,426 meters and an annual capacity of 640 ships.

Bandırma Port

The original port of Bandırma, which holds historical significance in trade, dates back thousands of years. The modern version of the port became operational with the Municipal Pier built in 1924. The feature of this pier is that it was the first in Turkey to be built with a concrete block system by a Turkish Engineer named Reşit Bey.
Bandırma Port has a pier length of 2,788 meters and a capacity of 2,771,000 tons. The grain silo is approximately 34,000 tons. It has an annual capacity to accommodate 4,280 ships.

Mersin Port

Mersin Port, one of the largest ports in Turkey, is Turkey’s main gateway to the Mediterranean.
Due to the need for cotton exports, Mersin has always been at the forefront. Therefore, it is not surprising that many enterprises have tried to build a port in Mersin throughout history. However, the turbulent years in the country delayed the realization of the port construction. Finally, the first pier was opened in 1958, and the last one in 1961.
Today, the port has 21 berths and can provide loading and unloading services to 30 ships. Its annual handling capacity is 9 million tons of bulk cargo and 2.6 million tons of containers.

Ambarlı Port

Ambarlı Port is the largest in Turkey in terms of container volume and the fifth largest in terms of cargo tonnage.
As Istanbul’s first private port, Ambarlı Port has a hinterland in Istanbul and the Marmara Region and also serves as a transit port for cargoes heading to Black Sea ports. Ships exceeding 300 meters in length can dock at Ambarlı Port.