Port and terminal operator Yilport Holding, part of Yildirim Group, recorded a 9% year-on-year increase in container volumes in 2017.
Volumes rose to 4.3 million TEU in 2017 from 3.93 million TEU handled in 2016.
As explained, the increase was led by Yilport’s ten container handling terminals in Turkey, Scandinavia, Iberia and Latin America.
In Turkey, the volume increase was attributed to strong exports. Yilport Gebze, the company’s home terminal, recorded 501,284 TEU for 2017, reflecting 26% YOY increase. Gemlik and Gemport terminals also closed 2017 with record-breaking volumes.
Yilport’s Nordic terminals handled 13% more cargo in 2017 due to strong Swedish exports. In addition, the terminals absorbed volume from competitor’s corridors during labor disputes, Yilport said.
In Yilport’s Iberian terminals, volumes surged by 5.8%.
What is more, the company’s Latin America terminals displayed a 22.6% YOY growth.
Yilport also owns a 50% stake in Malta Freeport whose throughput rose by 2% to 1.75 million TEU in 2017.
The company revealed that 2018 will be the year of Yilport Turkey with a focus on development projects to increase its operational efficiency.
“The year is expected to be bright in both container and general cargo volumes as regards to the consolidations of the alliances and increasing demand for the general cargo flow across Turkey,” Yilport concluded.