13 percent increase in rail exports: 86 percent of exports from Istanbul and surrounding provinces

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that rail exports reached 1.2 million tons in the January-July period of this year, marking a 13.2 percent increase compared to the same period last year, and noted, "The developing capacity of Turkey's rail transport will further increase export volumes in the coming years."

In a written statement, Uraloğlu evaluated the data on cargo transported for export purposes during the January-July 2024 period.

'WE HAVE CONNECTED OUR INDUSTRIAL ZONES TO OUR RAIL NETWORK'

Emphasizing that Turkey has gained significant momentum in rail transport, Uraloğlu said, "We see that the use of railways in our country's export transport is increasing every year, and to meet the growing demand, we are working tirelessly under the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to develop our rail transport and transport infrastructure, which stand out for their environmentally friendly and economic aspects. We have also renewed conventional lines that had not been touched for nearly 100 years. We have connected our organized industrial zones, factories, and ports to our rail network."

Uraloğlu stated that rail transport increases Turkey's export potential in terms of both speed and capacity, adding, "We broke a record in the 7-month period of 2024 by carrying 1.2 million tons of export cargo, an increase of 13.2 percent compared to the same period last year. The developing capacity of Turkey's rail transport will further increase export volumes in the coming years. The exports we carry out by rail are an important element of our country's economic growth. Our goal is to further consolidate Turkey's strategic role in Europe's trade routes by expanding these networks."

86 PERCENT OF EXPORTS FROM ISTANBUL AND SURROUNDING PROVINCES

Underlining that Istanbul and its surrounding provinces play a significant role in rail transport, Uraloğlu reported that more than 1 million 32 thousand tons of cargo, corresponding to 86 percent of said transport, were carried from Istanbul and surrounding provinces.

Pointing out that export products are also delivered to Europe from provinces such as Izmir, Eskişehir, Ankara, and Sivas, Uraloğlu emphasized that these shipments demonstrate Turkey's logistics power and the importance of rail transport in exports, and that rail connections providing connectivity with Europe offer great contributions both economically and environmentally.

Emphasizing that Turkey's role as a trade bridge between Asia and Europe has been further strengthened with the operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway line, Uraloğlu stated that infrastructure improvements and cooperation agreements between European and Central Asian railways have enabled Turkey to have a greater say in export transport.

'AT LEAST 8 FREIGHT TRAINS DAILY PROVIDE UNINTERRUPTED TRADE TO EUROPE'

Touching upon the strengthening of Turkey's ties with Europe in rail transport and the strategic importance of export trends in this field, Uraloğlu noted the following:

"At least 8 freight trains that we operate daily between Turkey and Europe provide uninterrupted trade to Europe. Leading exported products include automotive spare parts, textile products, food, electronic products, chemical products, cement, and construction materials. Thanks to this transport infrastructure, we offer not only a cost advantage but also an environmentally friendly and sustainable transport model."

Emphasizing that rail transport stands out as a more environmentally friendly option, Uraloğlu stated that rail transport will play a key role in complying with the European Green Deal, which aims to reduce greenhouse gases and increase competitiveness, and in achieving Turkey's 2053 net-zero emission targets.

News Source: 12punto