02.05.2014 Ankara
Speaking at the TOBB Maritime Trade Chambers Council Meeting attended by the Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communication Minister Lütfi Elvan, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The maritime sector requires the same support as its global competitors.” Hisarcıklıoğlu, reminding that maritime goods and passenger transportation is a part of the “Prioritized Investment Subjects” of the new investment incentivisation package, and requested of Minister Elvan that ship building sector be included in the “Large Scale Investments” category.
The TOBB Maritime Trade Chambers Council Meeting was held at the TOBB
Union Center hosted by TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and attended by
Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communication Minister Lütfi Elvan, TOBB
Maritime Trade Chambers Council Chairman Sefer Kalkavan, Council Members and
the Undersecretary for Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communication
Ministry, Feridun Bilgin.
In his speech, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the Turkish private sector is
working to grow Turkey, make it prosper and ensure fair development, “TOBB
Maritime Trade Chambers Council Chairman Sefer Kalkavan has started a great
vocational training for the growth of the sector. Thanks to the vision of the
İMEAK Maritime Trade Chamber, approximately 40,000 young people are receiving
training in seamanship.
Touching on the changing nature of the global economy’s heading,
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that the global economy has begun to recover with
developed countries in the lead. With this, the period of plenty and cheap
funds is coming to an end, said Hisarcıklıoğlu, “Now, it is more important than
ever for us to rely on our own resources to produce, sell, share equally and
sustainably grow. We must use our resources to the best of our ability. Our
country grew by 4% while the world economy underwent a crisis this year. We
must reinforce this growth trend. The maritime sector is of critical importance
in this regard. We’ve been blessed with the ideal geography for this, with
shores on 3 sides. We are on the crossroads between the Caucasus, the Arabian
world and Europe. We are situated on the historical Silk Road. We are on the
most precious lands in the world. We have unmatched logistical advantage with
maritime, land and rail transportation. The maritime sector has begun to
utilize this advantage in recent years. It has become one of the country’s
driving sectors with the employment it provides and the foreign currency it
draws.”
- “We are 13th among
the largest maritime trading counties in the world”
TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they are employing over 20,000
people in the ship building sector and reported that approximately 3 billion
USD are gained in imports. Stressing that, with the correct incentives,
shipyards confined to a single region have since spread to all shores
stretching from Hopa to İskenderun.
Emphasizing the need to recognize the sector as a strategic one and
incentivize both maritime transportation and ports, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that
their competition is not just EU countries but, China, Korea, Brazil, India and
Russia. Hisarcıklıoğlu expressed pride in the success Turkey has achieved in
maritime transportation and ship building against global competition.
- As long as the maritime sector
continues full ahead, Turkey will stay on course
Hisarcıklıoğlu went on: “Our sector needs the same sort of incentives
provided to its competitors. The new investment incentive package has maritime
goods and passenger transportation is a part of the ‘Prioritized Investment
Subjects’ of the new investment incentivisation package. I would request of
Minister Elvan that ship building sector be included in the ‘Large Scale
Investments’ category. We should make headway in this field as well.
As long as the maritime sector continues full ahead, Turkey will stay on
course to become one of the 10 largest economies of the world. Council members
will share with us the information and suggestions in regards to the sector in
a moment.
We believe that, from this point on, a coordinated effort with the public
administration will yield effective results.”
- Transportation, Maritime
Affairs and Communication Minister Lütfi Elvan
Transportation, Maritime Affairs and Communication Minister Lütfi Elvan
stated in his speech that the Turkish maritime transportation and ship building
sector has left dark days behind but that by addressing the shortcomings of the
past would require hard work.
Minister Elvan provided information in regards to the status of the
sector, reporting that the last 12 years has seen the most significant jump in
the sector.
Stating that as they are constructing new ports, they are also building
the infrastructure necessary for them, Minister Elvan said that, upon reaching
their goals, Turkey will be viewed as “A sailor nation, a sailor country.”