Representatives of the Turkish maritime industry gathered in Istanbul for the Turkish Chamber of Shipping's assembly meeting, which was attended by Minister of Science, Industry, and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır.
During the meeting, the challenges facing the Turkish maritime sector were conveyed to the Minister.
Ali Gürün, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sanmar, spoke at the meeting, conveying the issues confronting the Turkish shipbuilding industry to Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır.
Ali Gürün stated that the Turkish shipbuilding industry had emerged as a global leader, particularly in the export of tugboats, and had executed numerous innovative projects. Despite these achievements, Gürün highlighted the escalating labor costs resulting from the strong Turkish Lira, which posed significant challenges for Turkish shipbuilders. He remarked, "Surviving under these exchange rates is exceedingly challenging. At this rate, we may have to resort to laying off subcontracted workers. Looking ahead, I foresee that we can only endure this situation for a maximum of two years."
Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır responded to Ali Gürün's remarks by emphasizing the need to consider Turkey's economic indicators collectively. He underscored the importance of maintaining a strong Turkish Lira policy. Kacır emphasized that as Turkey's risk premium and inflation decrease, access to financing will become more accessible, and employment costs will decrease without a depreciation of the Turkish Lira. Additionally, Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır noted that the Turkish Lira, which has appreciated from 3 Turkish Liras to 30 Turkish Liras thus far, has not been beneficial to anyone.
