Logistics in Turkey

Turkey has an advantageous position between Europe and Asia, giving it an important transit function. Transports are primarily done by sea. The rail system has been neglected for years. Most logistics service providers have set up their facilities near Istanbul and profit from the generally favorable economic outlook.

Transport hubs in Turkey

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Geographic challenges in Turkey

Turkey has an advantageous position between Europe and Asia and is easy to reach by ship - both from the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Turkey has mountainous regions in the east, in the direction of Georgia, Iran and Iraq, and some areas are virtually inaccessible.

Core countries for trade

The most important export countries are Germany, Great Britain, Italy, France and the United States. Most imported goods come from Germany, France, Italy, China and the United States [1].

Turkish infrastructure

Turkey’s international goods transports are mainly characterized by sea transports. For transports between Germany and Turkey, road-based shipments and combined sea and land transports Combined transport have become fairly significant. In contrast, rail transports have been largely neglected in the past. This sector has much catching-up and modernization to do. In a direct comparison with most EU countries, Turkey’s infrastructure is poorly developed [2].

Logistics requirements and service areas

Rapidly growing trade with Turkey has created a promising perspective for the logistics sector, and the trend is expected to continue. For this reason, international logistics companies are increasing their presence in the country. All major international logistics companies are already active in Turkey. The intensifying competition being fueled by their presence is leading to significant quality improvements in the services being offered and a constantly rising service standard.
Courier and express services Courier, express and parcel services are benefiting the most from this development. Companies in the textile and clothing industries, in particular, rely heavily on CEP services. As a result of these services, samples of ready-to-wear items and new designs can be delivered quickly to potential customers in Europe, avoiding delays in the race against competitors [2].
Contract logistics Contract logistics also profits from the textile industry. For instance, a German logistics service provider offers a consolidation Consolidation of textiles in the company’s own warehouse Warehouse in Istanbul to customers as well as the transport of the products by rail to Germany [3].

Logistics centers in Turkey

Istanbul is the most important logistics hub in the country. Just about all important logistics service providers have their headquarters in this region. From here, they manage their branches located in other parts of the country.
Facilities that are comparable to central European logistics centers, with their good connections to harbors, airports and other transport hubs, are still not available in Turkey. The country also does not have any modern, multimodal hubs that can form a network of rail, road and air transports [2].

Important logistics service providers

The most important Turkish logistics service providers are Arkas Denizcilik, Omsan, Barsan, Reysas, Borusan, Balnak, Türksped, and Horoz Lojistik. The most important international logistics service providers in Turkey are DHL, TNT, Kühne & Nagel, Schenker and Panalpina.

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References

[1] The World Fact Book | Central Intelligence Agency 2007
[2] Türkei | Bagoglu 2006. In: Transport und Logistik | Bundesagentur für Außenwirtschaft (Hrsg.)
[3] Pressemitteilung Thiel Logistik AG | Thiel Fashion Lifestyle 2007