Commercial activities will start in April at the port in Iskenderun Bay, where a fire broke out.
It was stated that commercial activities will start after 8 April at the port, where activities were interrupted by a fire that broke out in containers on February 6 after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes and was brought under control with a 4-day response.
After the fire in the Iskenderun Bay, commercial activities begin.
Levent Hakkı Yılmaz, Chairman of the İskenderun Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that there are over 15 ports and piers in the Iskenderun Bay.
Reminding that in the earthquake on February 6 in Kahramanmaraş, containers overturned in a port in the gulf and some of them were on fire due to heating and cooling engines, Yılmaz said: This fire was only extinguished in 4-5 days as a result of efforts. After the fire, the containers in that port had to be identified and separated one by one. “The ship sank and some of the activities were stopped due to the inability of the ships to dock. That port is important and valuable for the economy of Iskenderun as a position. Hopefully, it will start its commercial activities after the 8th of April. After June and July, it will increase its activities and regain its former potential.”
“TOGETHER WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS NEGATIVE PROCESS”
Yılmaz stated that commercial activities continue at other ports and piers in the bay, except for the port where the fire broke out.
Noting that Hatay is one of the provinces that make a significant contribution to the Turkish economy, Yılmaz said, “As of 2022, we are talking about the export figures of Hatay over 4 million dollars. In fact, it is among the top 9 in the export ranking. It was also in the th and 8th places. Hatay is one of the top 10 in the tax ranking. The negativities experienced by the earthquake seem to cause a difficult period for the economy of Hatay and the country. Hopefully, we can get out of this negative process in a short time together. ” he said.
LOTS OF HELP WITH TRAILER AND VESSELS
Yılmaz emphasized that since the first day of the earthquake, a large number of aid materials have been sent by trucks and ships from all over Turkey.
Explaining that the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) also contributed to the region, Yılmaz said:
“Tents and containers were also sent to the region. However, these needs still continue. It is not easy. More than 300 buildings were destroyed in Iskenderun alone. The number of damaged buildings is quite high. There are many people with shops and stores under these buildings. Many of our industrial establishments “It carries out its production in the region and continues its exports. However, jewelers, grocers, carpenters and tradesmen in different small businesses in the district must enter their stores as soon as possible. For this, the damage assessment works must be completed.”
Stating that they are in constant dialogue with the tradesmen in Iskenderun, Yılmaz noted that they reported all the requests and demands sent to them to the state authorities, and some of them were resolved quickly.
