Ekinciler Port: Turkey's new hub for intermodal transportation.

Ekinciler Port Group Manager

Vahtettin Erişen

Orhan Ekinci Port, part of Ekinciler Holding, which underwent a restructuring process in 2024, is no longer just a loading and unloading point. Emphasizing that they have achieved their goal of becoming a center offering integrated logistics solutions, Orhan Ekinci Port Group Manager Vahtettin Erişen summarizes the gains they have achieved following the investments as follows:

Our port has now been upgraded to a deep-water facility capable of accommodating vessels up to 200,000 DWT. Thanks to the expanded pier, we can now service more vessels simultaneously. With increased storage space and improved equipment infrastructure, vessel unloading and loading times have been significantly reduced. This has both lowered costs and accelerated cycle times. We are now able to offer our customers a more reliable, faster, and competitive service.

What is the role of maritime activities within Ekinciler Holding?

Ekinciler Holding, which began its journey in the 1960s with iron and steel trading, has gradually diversified into many sectors including manufacturing, energy, environmental technologies, and logistics. Maritime transport is a strategically important area within this structure. The Orhan Ekinci Port, established in 1987, is a crucial gateway for the holding's production and trading capacity to access foreign markets. Within the holding's integrated structure, port operations support all processes, from production and supply to export and logistics.

Last year you increased the capacity at Orhan Ekinci Port. What factors influenced this decision?

The main factors in our decision to increase capacity were the growth of industrial activities in the region, the increasing export and import potential, and the diversification of customer demands. Our region is a strategically important area in terms of logistics activities. The ever-increasing export and import potential, coupled with the growing global competition and the need to reduce logistics costs by using and servicing large tonnage vessels, has necessitated an increase in service quality and speed. With the investment process we started at the beginning of 2024, we have significantly increased the physical capacity and service diversity of our port. Our goal was to transform our port from just a loading and unloading point into a center offering integrated logistics solutions. As of today, we have achieved this goal.

What investments have you made?

We carried out our investments under three main headings: pier extension, increase of stock and storage areas, and strengthening of equipment capacity. With this investment, a total of 100,000 square meters of open concrete stockyard, 40,000 square meters of temporary storage area, and 20,000 square meters of covered warehouse area were put into operation, increasing the storage and handling capacity and operational flexibility of our port together with our existing 35,000 square meter General A-Type warehouse. Our pier was initially 430 meters long and 23 meters wide. As part of the investment, we built an extension of 40 meters wide and 370 meters long at the end of the pier. Thus, our total pier length reached 800 meters. We now have a high-capacity structure that can serve multiple large tonnage vessels simultaneously. All these works were completed in approximately 18 months.

What benefits did the expansion and deepening works you carried out on the pier bring about?

Our pier length and water depth have been increased. This arrangement, which provides easier docking and maneuvering for large vessels of 200,000 DWT, has also enabled our port to serve a wider cargo profile. Operationally, we can handle more cargo in a shorter time. We can efficiently serve multiple vessels simultaneously, which ensures efficiency and continuity in our operations.

With the new capacity increase, what level has the annual cargo handling capacity reached?

Our annual cargo handling capacity, which was previously approximately 4.5 million tons, has reached 12 million tons after the investments. This increase will make significant contributions, both directly and indirectly, to employment and to industry in terms of logistical ease. By enabling the Iskenderun region to utilize its logistical potential more effectively, it will make a serious contribution to the growth of the regional economy.

What is the port's suitability for intermodal transport, and what are its future sustainability goals?

Our rail connection, along with our extensive storage areas and road connections, makes our port suitable for intermodal transport. This structure allows us to support environmentally friendly and economical transportation. Our sustainability goals include practices that reduce our carbon footprint, projects that increase infrastructure efficiency, and efforts to improve port digitalization. We plan to continuously develop our port to meet the needs of the future.

In general terms, what advantages does Orhan Ekinci Port have today?

Our port has now been upgraded to a deep-water facility capable of accommodating vessels up to 200,000 DWT. Thanks to the expanded pier, we can now service more vessels simultaneously. With increased storage space and improved equipment infrastructure, vessel unloading and loading times have been significantly reduced. This has both lowered costs and accelerated cycle times. We are now able to offer our customers a more reliable, faster, and competitive service.

We would like to ask immediately afterwards, how do all the investments made and the expanding role of the port affect Türkiye's position within port infrastructure investments?

Ekinciler Port is transforming from a regional terminal into a transshipment and logistics center providing services of international standards. This transformation will make a significant contribution to Türkiye's port diversity and infrastructure strength. It also stands out as an exemplary model in private port management.

How do you assess the importance of the Gulf of Iskenderun as Türkiye's logistics and industrial hub?

The Gulf of Iskenderun occupies a key position on Türkiye's east-west logistics axis. With a concentration of iron and steel, energy, and chemical industries, the need for a strong port infrastructure in this region is increasing daily. Furthermore, its road and rail connections to Southeastern Anatolia and the Middle East make the Gulf a strategic logistics hub.

Finally, could you tell us about Ekinciler Holding's future goals in the maritime sector?

As Ekinciler Port, we aim to continue specializing in bulk cargo and general cargo segments in the coming period. We have the infrastructure to conduct high-volume and regular operations in bulk cargo such as scrap metal, coal, clinker, wheat, grain products, big-bag cement, iron ore, and bauxite, as well as general cargo product groups such as billets, profiles, rebar, coiled steel, and rolled sheet metal. Furthermore, we are taking steps to develop a suitable service infrastructure for special cargo groups such as project cargo. Through this diversity, we aim to offer our customers a comprehensive, fast, and reliable port service. This is our goal as Ekmar, an Ekinciler Holding company.

As Ekinciler Holding, celebrating our 60th anniversary, we have set innovation, a young workforce, and increased activity in international markets across all our areas of expertise as our primary goals. Naturally, our intensive work on sustainability continues. Based on our values, we have adopted the motto "From Legacy to the Future," which reflects the strength of our robust corporate structure and values carried forward into the future.

7DENIZ MAGAZINE, September 2025