705 cruise ships are expected to arrive at Aegean ports

The ports of Izmir, Çesme, and Kuşadası are preparing to host a total of 705 cruise ships this year.

Yusuf Öztürk, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Izmir Branch of the Chamber of Shipping, stated during the ordinary council meeting in February that the stagnation in the global economy and bottlenecks in the Red Sea and the Panama Canal have affected maritime trade.

Öztürk emphasized that more than 33 ships were attacked in the Red Sea recently, and he noted that ship passages through the Suez Canal decreased by 55% compared to the previous year. He also mentioned a 67% decrease in container ships and approximately a 75% increase in Cape of Good Hope passages. Öztürk stressed that the economic and environmental costs of the Red Sea crisis are continuously increasing.

Regarding the decrease in freight rates, Öztürk attributed it to weak demand and excess container ship capacity.

Öztürk painted a positive picture regarding the docking of 705 cruise ships scheduled for Izmir, Cesme, and Kusadasi ports this year. This development is expected to increase the tourism potential of the region and bring economic vitality.