Aliağa at the Top: Turkey’s Port Leaders of 2025
Turkey’s ports painted a dynamic picture in the January–October 2025 period.
Prof. Dr. Soner Esmer, consultant to the Turkish Port Operators Association (TÜRKLİM), shared the latest figures released by the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, offering a snapshot of the industry’s pulse.
Cargo Volume on the Rise
In the first ten months of the year, total cargo volume climbed 3.3% to reach 456.4 million tons. The main drivers of this growth were cabotage (+7.5%) and imports (+5.0%), while transit cargo saw a slight decline of 1.1%.
Standout Cargo Groups
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Dry bulk cargo: +4.5%
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General cargo: +8.6%
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Ro-Ro, automotive, and cruise passenger traffic: continued strong growth
Container Transport: Mixed Signals
Container throughput rose 3.5% to 11.68 million TEU, largely fueled by a 7% increase in import containers. However, the surge in empty containers remains a challenge for operators.
Port Leadership Rankings
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Aliağa maintained its leadership in total cargo.
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Kocaeli and İskenderun followed closely behind.
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Ceyhan stood out with a 10.5% increase.
In container traffic, Ambarlı, Kocaeli, and Tekirdağ held the top three positions with strong growth, while Aliağa, İzmir, and Samsun experienced declines.
Ege Region Under Pressure
The Aegean Region continued to struggle with falling container volumes in October.
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Izmir Port Authority exports dropped by 23%.
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Aliağa Port Authority transit containers plummeted by 64%. As a result, the region lost more than 360,000 TEU in the first ten months of 2025 (-18%).
Prof. Dr. Soner Esmer’s analysis highlights both the resilience and the warning signs in Turkey’s port performance. While overall cargo volumes are growing, the Aegean’s container losses signal a critical challenge for the sector moving forward.
