Istanbul: Over 47,630 vessels docked at Turkish ports between January and September, marking the highest number recorded in the past seven years.

According to Anadolu Agency, data from the Maritime Affairs General Directorate revealed that 16,777 of these vessels were Turkish-flagged, while 30,853 were foreign-flagged, representing a 2.8% increase compared to the same period last year.

The data also highlighted a fluctuating trend in the number of ships docking at Turkish ports over recent years. In 2018, 55,448 ships arrived, but this number declined to 40,000 in 2021 due to the pandemic. It has since shown a recovery trend, with 43,164 ships in 2022 and further increasing to 45,605 in 2023. From January to September this year, the docked ships carried a total of 723.2 million gross tons of cargo.

The report further detailed the transportation dynamics, noting a 4.2% rise in the number of vehicles transported on roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels along global routes, totaling 541,003 vehicles. Of these, 269,620 vehicles arrived, and 271,383 vehicles departed on Ro-Ro ships. European routes, including Trieste, Valencia, and Marseille, accounted for 391,292 of the total vehicles transported on Ro-Ro vessels.

In addition, 65,630 vehicles were transported between Black Sea ports such as Tuapse, Novorossisk, and Constanta, and Turkish ports. This data underscores the strategic importance of Turkish ports in international maritime transportation.