Transport & Logistics
From The Report: Turkey 2013
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Despite substantial roadway expansion in the last five years, the country has struggled to keep up with rapid growth of car ownership, often resulting in congestion. Much more investment is necessary, not least because economic progress is creating new infrastructure needs. The most ambitious of several proposed highway expansion plans is the North Marmara Highway, which would link Izmir and Istanbul via a third bridge over the Bosphorus. Planned expansions to rail networks include improvements to domestic lines and connections to Eurasian markets. Air transport has proven to be a significant driver of economic growth. The most ambitious of Turkey’s infrastructure projects calls for the development of a third airport at a cost of more than $9bn – a proposal which is drawing a characteristic mix of excitement, investor interest and criticism in-country.
This chapter contains interviews with Sani Şener, President and CEO, TAV Airports, and Ahmet Musul, Chairman, Ekol Logistics.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Unified vision: Economic growth is spurring needed infrastructure investments
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Efforts to ensure long-term economic growth in the republic will not succeed without substantial investments in transport infrastructure. This is well understood by the government, which nearly doubled public spending on the sector as a percentage of GDP between 2004 (1.06%) and 2010 (1.92%), according to figures from the World Bank. “Turkey’s strong growth performance over the past decade was supported by transport system upgrades, which greatly enhanced our industrial competitiveness,” Sami…

Interview

OBG talks to Sani Şener, President & Group CEO, TAV Airports
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Interview: Sani Şener What are the government’s goals for the aviation sector in Turkey over the next decade, and what is the likelihood of these objectives being achieved? SANIŞENER: Throughout the 2000s, Turkey’s aviation business performed strongly. Three main factors contributed to this success: outward foreign economic policy, political stability and the successful privatisation of transportation networks. As a result, Turkish companies strengthened their position in the domestic…

Interview

OBG talks to Ahmet Musul, Chairman, Ekol Logistics
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Interview: Ahmet Musul What are Turkey’s competitive advantages as an international logistics centre? AHMET MUSUL: Given its strategic location, Turkey has always had the potential to become a global logistics centre. However, only in the past 10 years has the country had the political stability and economic performance needed for this to materialise. Moreover, recent global developments have reinforced Turkey’s logistics position. As production centres in Western Europe have begun relocating…

Analysis

Third’s a charm: Ambitious plans for a new Istanbul airport are gaining traction
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Efforts to position Istanbul as a global aviation centre are gaining momentum, and Turkish Airlines (THY) is helping to lead the way through international network expansion. Equally important, major projects are moving ahead to upgrade the city’s airport infrastructure, which is straining under the pressures of rapidly increasing demand. The most ambitious of these infrastructure projects, by a wide margin, calls for the development of a third airport at cost of more than $9bn – a proposal which…

Analysis

Breaking barriers: The logistics sector moves to unify national trade networks
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Continued economic progress in Turkey will require greater private investment in logistics services, which would help local firms enhance their competitiveness in the global marketplace through cost savings and faster order fulfilment. The government also has a key role to play by facilitating the development of transport infrastructure, establishing intermodal connections and issuing reforms that ease trade. At stake is business productivity – precisely what the country needs to achieve its long-term…