#Main Container Port

President Seçer's Statement on the 'Main Container Port'

Mayor Vahap Seçer made statements regarding the decision to construct the Main Container Port, which was planned to be built in Mersin and eagerly awaited by the city for years, in Adana. Seçer noted that the 10th Development Plan specified a main container port in Mersin, but the reference to Mersin was removed in the 11th Development Plan, and in the 12th Development Plan, it was changed to 'Eastern Mediterranean Main Container Port,' raising questions. He emphasized that they have voiced their concerns on this issue, stating, "Not only me, but other actors in the city have been constantly bringing this up." "The main reason for Mersin being Mersin is the port" Seçer expressed the desire for the investment that Mersin deserves to be made in Mersin, saying, "As someone from Mersin, it is natural for us to want this, but there is also a reality; that is, Mersin's identity as a port city. The most suitable point in southern Turkey for the routes used is Mersin. The closest and most suitable port city to those routes is Mersin. There is a 200-year history of maritime trade here. The main reason for Mersin being Mersin is the port. Mersin is a multi-sectoral city. You can place Mersin Port right in the middle of all this. In a city with such infrastructure and historical accumulation, nothing could be more natural than planning a main container port." "It was included in the Presidential Investment Program" Seçer recalled that when work began on the Main Container Port, feasibility reports prepared by the relevant state institutions included many criteria related to Mersin, stating, “For these reports to yield results, certain factors need to come together and be positive. Because a positive result came out, the process was continued here, and it was included in the Presidential Investment Program. In the 2024 Presidential Investment Program, there was the phrase 'Main Container Port in Mersin.'" "Mersin is the most important city in the Eastern Mediterranean" Underlining that Mersin is the most important city in the Eastern Mediterranean, Seçer continued, "There is no place more suitable than Mersin for the main container port. From here, you are the gateway to the world. The Main Container Port means the destination point for all the cargo from the Middle East to the Caucasus, a distribution point to the world from here, or a hub for sea trade where goods coming from the world reach other points. The Main Container Port would have given Mersin such a status. The recent statements show that the long-standing concerns were not unfounded. The main reason for saying 'the construction of a main container port in the Eastern Mediterranean' instead of mentioning Mersin in the Development Plan has become clear." "We are against the investment Mersin has been waiting for with hope being made in another city" Seçer emphasized that they are not against investments being made in Adana or other regions, saying, "We are against the investment that Mersin has been waiting for with hope being made in another city. We are against such an important investment, which the public has been prepared for, has been waiting for, and has hoped for for years, being made in a city with suitable infrastructure, only to be abandoned for another place." He stated that they are expecting an explanation from the authorities on this matter, adding, "When we previously asked why the reference to Mersin was removed from the Development Plan, the then members of the ruling party said there was no cause for concern. It was said that the container port would be built in Mersin, but we see that different developments are happening." "A situation contrary to logic, technique, and science" Seçer pointed out that the construction of the Main Container Port in Adana eliminates the possibility of investment in Mersin, saying, "Is it possible to have two main container ports 100 kilometers apart? This is contrary to logic, technique, and science. I am the mayor of the city. I have an obligation to protect Mersin's rights. This is not only my duty but also the duty of MPs and NGOs. The Chamber of Shipping, especially the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and all other chambers and civil society organizations have a duty to seek Mersin's rights in this matter; this is an obligation."