The volume of cargo handled at Türkiye's ports surpassed 553 million tons in 2025, reaching a new record high, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said Saturday.
The volume surged by 4% compared to the previous year, he said.
In a written statement, Uraloğlu evaluated the 2025 data prepared by the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, noting that efforts continue to increase Türkiye's share in maritime trade and further develop sea transport, the backbone of foreign trade.
"In 2025, the amount of cargo handled at our ports increased by 4% compared with the previous year to 553.26 million tons, breaking a record in the history of the republic," he said.
He added that cargo shipped from Turkish ports to foreign ports last year was up 0.4% on an annual basis, reaching 142.7 million tons, while cargo arriving from foreign ports increased 5.6% to 271.6 million tons.
According to Uraloğlu, international freight transportation by sea increased 3.8% from the previous year to 414.4 million tons in 2025. By regional port authority, the highest cargo handling volume was recorded at ports operating under the Aliağa Regional Port Authority, with 89.5 million tons, followed by Kocaeli with 83.9 million tons and Iskenderun with 70.9 million tons, he informed.
Uraloğlu noted that liquid bulk cargo accounted for the largest share of handling in 2025, reaching 169.7 million tons.
"Liquid bulk cargo rose by 4.6% compared with the previous year, while dry bulk cargo increased by 5.7% to 160.9 million tons. Container cargo (volume) rose 0.7% to 144.33 million tons. General cargo increased 6% to 65.8 million tons, while Ro-Ro cargo rose 4.7% to 12.42 million tons," he added.
The cargo types showing the largest increases in port handling were non-briquetted coal with 4.35 million tons, crude oil with 3.15 million tons, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) with 3.08 million tons, Uraloğlu noted.
Furthermore, the minister said that among cargo shipped abroad by sea in 2025, the largest volume went to Italy, totaling 17.27 million tons, followed by the U.S. with 13.5 million tons and Egypt with 10.86 million tons.
The countries from which Türkiye received the most cargo were Russia with 101.5 million tons, the U.S. with 21.7 million tons, and Egypt with 14.35 million tons, he added.
Similarly, container handling increased 3.5% year-over-year to 14 million TEUs. The highest container handling volume was recorded at ports operating under the Ambarlı Regional Port Authority, with 3.42 million TEUs, followed by Kocaeli with 2.5 million TEUs and Tekirdağ with 2.13 million TEUs.
Uraloğlu said the maritime sector is expected to break new records in 2026, while emphasizing the goal of achieving a larger share in global maritime trade.
