Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Adil Karaismailoğlu, regarding the Suez Canal, where trade came to a standstill after the landing of the ship "Ever Given", said, "The most suitable route that can be an alternative to Far East-Europe transportation on the Suez Canal on the east-west axis, starting from our country, to the Caucasus region, "Middle Corridor," with the Caspian Transit, reaches Central Asia and China, following Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, by crossing the Caspian Sea from here, ”he said.
Adil Karaismailoğlu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, made statements about the latest situation in the Suez Canal, where trade came to a halt after the ship "Ever Given" ran aground.
Minister Karaismailoğlu reminded that the Panama-flagged Ever Given ship, on the morning of Tuesday, 23 March, landed on the way from China to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands due to the strong wind and the bank effect of the canal, causing the Suez Canal to close, which is one of the busiest trade routes in the world. Given said, "It was stranded in a busy period when trade began to recover after the Chinese New Year, when factories were closed in China, the world's manufacturing center, and businesses are trying to replenish their stocks in the hope that coronavirus restrictions will be eased in the coming months."
"There is no floating crane in the area that has the capacity to discharge containers from the ship."
Minister Karaismailoğlu reminded that the rescue efforts of the ship are still continuing, approximately 20 thousand tons of sand were removed from the area where the ship was stuck, the ship was moved close to 30 degrees at the stern of the ship and the rudder was moved, and said, “Rescue teams closely monitor the tide times in the region and realizes during the hours. Today, if the rescue operation fails, the containers on the ship are planned to be relocated, but there is no floating crane in the area capable of evacuating the containers from the ship ”.
Noting that the Suez Canal, which is also an important route for oil tankers coming and going to the Middle East, is located between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, and is also the shortest route between Asia and Europe, Karaismailoğlu said, “Millions of tons of goods produced are from China and South Asia through the canal to Europe. is moved to. 19 billion tons of freight is transported annually through the canal used by an average of 1.2 thousand ships. This figure corresponds to 8 percent of world trade. According to Lloyd's List company, which keeps the statistics of ships in global maritime, it is stated that the 400-meter-long giant ship, which blocks the canal in both directions, has caused an estimated $ 9.6 billion daily damage. This amount was calculated on the basis of the fact that the west direction traffic on the channel is worth 5.1 billion dollars a day and the traffic in the east direction is approximately 4.5 billion dollars ”.
"Due to the accident, a total of 28 ships are waiting to cross the canal by 2021 March 340."
Minister Karaismailoğlu noted that as of 28 March 2021, a total of 137 ships, 160 ships at the south entrance, 43 at the north entrance and 340 ships at Büyük Acı Göl, are waiting to cross the canal due to the accident, saying, “80 of them are bulk cargo and 28 are chemical tankers. , 85 containers, 32 crude oil, 22 LNG and LPG, 29 general cargo and 64 other types of ships. "The number of ships waiting to pass through the canal is increasing every hour, and the ships waiting for passage turn their routes to the Cape of Good Hope in the south of Africa without waiting any longer."
Considering the three major trade route stretching from China to Europe in a container, 3-7 days by 10 thousand kilometers of roads through Turkey by 15-10 times a day over 15 thousand kilometers of roads Russia, North Trade, over 20 thousand kilometers of Suez Underlining that he reached Europe in 20-45 days by watching, Karaismailoğlu continued as follows:
“Considering the importance of the concept of time in world trade, our country is in an advantageous position due to its location. As a result of this accident, critical goods and equipment could not be delivered to the relevant countries, oil prices increased since Wednesday and brought other troubles with it. Last year, 39,2 million of 1,74 million barrels of crude oil transported by sea per day passed through the Suez Canal. Crude oil and fuel are transported in both directions in the Suez Canal. It is observed that the freight prices of tanker ships doubled due to the accident. As of the date of the accident, more than 100 tanker type ships are still waiting at both ends. The Suez Canal also has an 8 percent share in the global liquefied natural gas trade. There are 3 full LNG ships that are planned to arrive at LNG terminals in Europe in the first week of April and are currently waiting to cross from Suez to the Mediterranean. "
"The most suitable route that can be an alternative is the 'Middle Corridor' with the Caspian Transit starting from our country and reaching China.
Emphasizing that the recent events reveal the importance of creating alternatives in trade routes once again, Minister Karaismailoğlu said, “In this context, the most suitable route that can be an alternative to Far East-European transportation on the east-west axis through the Suez canal is from our country to the Caucasus region and from here to the Caspian Sea. It is the Trans-Caspian 'Middle Corridor' reaching Central Asia and China following Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. With the Suez crisis, we anticipate that the historical Silk Road, in other words the 'One Belt One Road' project today, is the safest route in terms of cost and time. Turkey in this project 'Central Corridor' is located on the so-called route. We have demonstrated our determination in this matter when our first export train sent to China last year, crossing two continents, two seas and five countries, reaching its destination in 10 days. The Middle Corridor is faster and more economical than the Northern Corridor, another corridor, 2 thousand kilometers shorter and more favorable in terms of climatic conditions, shortening the transportation time by about 15 days compared to the sea route. The Middle Corridor also offers important opportunities for freight traffic in Asia to reach the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean region, thanks to our country's port connections. Serious investments have been made in the logistics infrastructures in our country within this scope, and our investments are still continuing ”.
"With the closure of the middle corridor, the Suez Canal, its importance and value have been understood once again."
Central Corridor route of which effective if used in the current year to 600 billion dollars in Europe and China to Turkey for commercial traffic and economic opportunities information is evaluated could be obtained also share the Minister Karaismailoğlu the Central Asian countries, the statement gave the following expressions:
“In this respect, the Middle Corridor countries should consider the crisis in the Suez Canal as an opportunity and turn the crisis into an opportunity, taking into account that the alternative of the Suez corridor is the middle corridor, and in cooperation with all countries, should do the necessary work for the development of this trade route. With the closure of the middle corridor, the Suez Canal, its importance and value were once again understood. The middle corridor, which passes through our country and the Black Sea, will be a route where world trade will take place intensely with our huge railways projects that we have implemented in recent years.
Karaismailoğlu, who stated that both the supply shortage experienced by exporters and importers as in the whole world after the pandemic and the congestion on the trade route dependent on the Suez Canal revealed the need to establish alternative transportation routes as soon as possible, The demands on the routes will shorten the process. "The demand support provided by both the tradesmen and the land carriers for the newly opened Ro-Ro lines will undoubtedly contribute to the formation of alternative routes".
Minister Karaismailoğlu concluded his words as follows: “With our autonomous shipping and navigation system we will create for Kanal Istanbul, we will create the safest logistics pass in the world. There will be no malfunctions that will affect neither our country nor the global economy. ”
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