Notable transfer chain in Binali Yıldırım's family companies

Recent transfer transactions involving maritime companies linked to the family and relatives of former Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım have returned to the agenda through trade registry records.

According to a report by Büşra Cebeci from Gazete Pencere, several companies in which Yıldırım's children and relatives were shareholders have been gradually consolidated under the umbrella of Derin Denizcilik Gemi Taşıma Anonim Şirketi.

According to the records cited in the report, in the final stage, the shares in Derin Denizcilik held by Binali Yıldırım's children, Erkam Yıldırım, Bülent Yıldırım, and Bahar Büşra Köylübay, were transferred to their mother, Semiha Yıldırım. Thus, it was stated that Semiha Yıldırım became the sole shareholder of the company.

THE COURSE OF TRANSFERS

The first transaction reflected in the records concerned Elia Gayrimenkul Spa Anonim Şirketi. It was reported that the company was transferred to Derin Denizcilik Gemi Taşıma Anonim Şirketi on November 18, 2022, and that at that time, Yıldırım's three children were among the shareholders of Derin Denizcilik.

The history of Elia had previously come to the agenda in 2014 with a conditional donation intended for the Pendik Municipality. At that time, it was stated that the company wanted to donate 600 thousand euros to be used in the construction of the Amine Hatun Mosque, and that the municipal council had accepted the donation by majority vote. The company's connections during its establishment period also included the Netherlands-based Neshatech B.V.

Another transfer transaction appeared in the records dated May 24, 2024. According to the report, Ceren Danışmanlık Denizcilik, founded by Yılmaz Erence and Rıfat Emrah Erence, was also transferred to Derin Denizcilik. The name of this company had previously appeared in public reports due to its links to Malta-based companies.

Ceren Danışmanlık Denizcilik is known as one of the entities mentioned in the 2017 Malta Files and Paradise Papers reports. In those documents, it was alleged that there were Malta-based companies linked to the family and relatives of the then-Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım. The report also recalled that Ceren Danışmanlık was a shareholder in companies such as Dertel Shipping Limited and Nova Ponza Limited in Malta.

According to trade registry records, Gaye Uluslararası Denizcilik, which belonged to Yıldırım's three children, was also incorporated into Derin Denizcilik on July 4, 2025. Thus, it was stated that the companies were gathered under a single roof through transactions carried out on different dates.

The report also noted that the ships in the fleet of Derin Denizcilik, which has a capital of 65 million lira, have been sold and that the company has not declared a tax base for the last three years. It was stated that there is no clear information in publicly available records regarding the company's current field of activity.

News Source: 12punto