Eastern Black Sea Logistics Center

Eastern Black Sea Logistics Center
Economic development trends vary over time. While some countries were trying to create ”free zones. A while ago, now the Bir logistics center“ or ”logistic village“ structures are trying to be formed.
What do we have to say about logistics center? In logistics centers, briefly, we can call goods; activities such as transportation, storage, distribution, loading, unloading and sending to the desired location are carried out. The concept of logistics has a broad meaning covering all these activities.
The logistic center is the place where the logistic activities at both national and international level are carried out by various operators in the logistics center.
It is a general principle that these centers are installed in suitable places for road, sea, rail and air cargo transportation. In order to provide combined transportation services in logistics centers, large storage areas are needed and the required customs clearance requirements are met in these centers.
After giving this general information, we can proceed to establish Eastern Black Sea Logistics Center.

Establishment of Logistics Center in Eastern Black Sea
Some time ago, Mr. Prime Minister took part in the public opinion that a logistics center between Trabzon and Rize would be established. Since then, a study has been conducted by DOKA. Although we are unaware of the results of this study, we would like to share our knowledge here.
Our neighbor Trabzon has been working towards establishing a logistics center in the province for a long time. Albayraklar, who operates the port of Trabzon, claims that the logistics center can be built on the side of the Erzurum road just behind the port, while the Exporters Union and some marine operators do not look at this view due to the lack of Trabzon port. As the Port of Trabzon has only a depth of 11 meters, the Çamburnu-Yeniay region with the depth of the 14,5 meter port is recommended.
Even if there are suitable places for logistics in the center of Trabzon and further to the west, it is understood that the Trabzon-based logistics works have shifted to the east due to the fact that due to Ovit Tunnels became the most suitable route between İyidere and Erzurum.

Rize's Ovit Path Obsession
As for Rize, the city of Rize-İkizdere-İspir is a city that is almost obsessed with Erzurum. In the 1930s, the Rizelis, who tried to dig this way with a shovel, showed what a desire they had at this point.
It is known that İsmet Pasha took a report dated 21 August 1935 after the famous East Trip, and he gave a briefing about Rize. When İsmet Pasha came to Rize, Rizeli asked him two important questions. One of them was related to the restart of the tea-making activities started at 1924 by Zihni Derin and interrupted at 1927. The other one was the demand for the Rize-İspir-Erzurum road. In the report of Pasha, Rizelis asked me to make this way, I used a phrase that I couldn't understand what would benefit Rize.
Finally, the Rize-İspit-Erzurum road was built, and now the Ovit Tunnels, which will make the Eastern Black Sea the most strategic route connecting it to Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia and Iran, are implemented. With the construction of these tunnels, which are desired by many years, Rizeliler hopes that the province will provide economic advantages. The position of this center is of particular importance for Rize, as the economic contributions of this road will be concentrated in the logistics center.
The idea of ​​the Prime Minister making the logistics center between Rize and Trabzon (which he said was an opinion defended by the Ministry bureaucrats) would require exclusion of some other options. For example, the depth of the ports to be established in logistics centers is 18 meters. There are also natural bays between Rize and Çayeli which can provide this depth in Rize. Moreover, the establishment of a logistics center in these areas, Rize and Çayeli between the merger and has the potential to provide development as a residential area.
Organization Location Analysis
For the logistics center to be built between Rize and Trabzon, no doubt the location of the site will be analyzed and the most suitable place will be located there. According to the two provinces in Trabzon and Rize, which are the most favorable in terms of commercial potential and logistical needs in the region, it would not be wrong to have the logistics center in the most suitable place between these two provinces.
The location analysis will reveal the most suitable option for the Eastern Black Sea and Turkey. At first glance, it is seen that Çamburnu-Yeniay region has weak expansion potential in order to meet the increasing economic capacity. Moreover, there are still the best shipyards in the region and the largest tonnage shipbuilding is done here. It would not be appropriate to damage the existing production facilities for the logistics center.
On the other hand, İyidere mouth, which is the separation point of İkizdere-Ovit-Erzurum road from the divided road on the coast, provides the shortest transportation for the East and Southeast connection of the logistics center to be established. Another important point is that this location is more convenient in terms of expansion opportunities. Especially the fact that İyidere has a wide river bed and that there are plain lands that can be used for storage on both sides makes this an advantage.
It is extremely important to connect the logistics center to the railway networks. Diyarbakir-Erzincan-Trabzon railway construction work was initiated for the construction of the railway. Connecting the logistics center to the national railway network is a must. On the other hand, the construction of the Batumi-Rize railway is extremely important in terms of connecting the former Soviet railway network to the logistics center. Since the railroad width of the Soviet rail is different, the transportation of the Batumi railway to Rize at the same standards may be useful for not reloading in Batumi while the cargo is being transported. Whether the logistics center is located in Yeniay, Çayeli or İyidere, the establishment of the railway connection from both sides is necessary for the success of the center.
How can the airline link be provided? Trabzon Airport (even if a new runway is built) does not have the potential to become a cargo airport. On the other hand, it should be examined whether there is a possibility to build a new airport suitable for cargo transportation in the place of İyidere-Of.
As a result, in order to establish the logistics center in the region and the country at the best point, it is necessary to carry out the selection of the site. Where studies and scientific calculations show, this is the best option for the region and the country.

Source: Contact Ali Rıza directly