Istanbul: Trkiye could emerge as a vital complementary logistics hub in transatlantic trade amid ongoing global supply chain disruptions, a sector representative told Anadolu. Bilgehan Engin, head of the Turkish Forwarding and Logistics Association, highlighted developments at the Munich Security Conference earlier this month, which demonstrated the evolving economic partnership across the Atlantic.
According to Anadolu Agency, global trade in recent years has faced turbulence with disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war. Security risks in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal have also severely hampered traditional maritime logistics flows. Engin mentioned that the traditional trade structure, which was based on cost optimization, has been replaced by a more fragile but complex system.
Engin emphasized that technology, tech-intensive inputs, critical components, and trade in services have become prominent in the trade route between the EU and the US. This route, boasting a volume of around $10 trillion, also serves as a key energy corridor. He stressed that Trkiye has to redefine its contributions in this new era, as geopolitical conditions have shifted massively since the postwar founding of NATO.
He stated that Trkiye possesses a robust and modern port infrastructure capable of supporting this shift domestically, handling around 15 million 20-foot equivalent units of container traffic and 550 million tons of maritime cargo annually. Engin described Trkiye as strategically located, connecting Europe, its southern and eastern peripheries, the Middle East, and the Black Sea basins.
Engin noted that Trkiye aims to be an integrated partner in line with its 2026 and 2030 economic visions, ensuring the production and sustainability of trade flows despite geopolitical fluctuations. He pointed out that Trkiye could play a central role in transatlantic trade from the first ring of a significant alternate outer perimeter, despite not physically being at the center of it.
Engin highlighted that Trkiye's free trade agreement with the UK could be a crucial asset to this strategy, as the UK is a key player in both NATO and transatlantic commerce. He advocated for Trkiye to adopt friend-shoring in its future trade policy to build resilient supply chains with allied countries. Engin urged authorities to accelerate efforts to update the EU Customs Union and implement visa-free travel for Turkish businesspeople and truck drivers.
He added that Trkiye could also act as a safe haven to cooperate with countries like the UK and the US, as well as the EU, amid their growing sensitivities over undocumented migrant traffic, drawing attention to the 'stronger reflexes Washington developed' during US President Donald Trump's second term.