Meriç Burçin Özer "Hopa will be a port city"

Meriç Burçin Özer said, “Hopa will be a port city: Hopaport General Manager Meriç Burçin Özer said,“ Hopa-Batum railway and Organized Industrial Zone must be the primary target of Artvin. ”

Stating that the Organized Industrial Zone should be established in Artvin to increase the potential of Hopa Port, Hopaport General Manager Meriç Burçin Özer said, “Hopa-Batum railway and Organized Industrial Zone must be the primary target of Artvin.”

Hopaport General Manager Meriç Burçin Özer explained the Hopaport Port and the latest developments related to the sector in the Eastern Black Sea Region to the Maritime Trade Magazine.

What does HOPAPORT Port mean for strategic and regional trade?

HOPAPORT harbor strategically east of Turkey is a safe haven opened the Caucasus region. Since HOPAPORT Port is very close to the Sarp border, all the countries from Europe and the Black Sea coasts to all the regions are guided. It also provides a very significant advantage in transit operations due to the proximity of road transportation to Iran and Nakhchivan regions where transit trade is intense. Since it is a gateway to the Caucasus, Iran, Nakhchivan, Eastern Black Sea and Eastern Anatolia regions in the regional sense, it plays an active role in all kinds of trade especially in these regions.

HOPAPORT the land borders of Turkey and both carries the distinction of being the only port with sea border crossings.

HOPAPORT has become a popular center for large-scale project cargo ships from South Korea, China, Vietnam, India, and countries in these regions, to countries that have a significant investment in the Caspian Sea, such as Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. After the general project cargo loads are transported by cargo ships, they are sent to countries such as Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan by river ships. Here, the biggest advantage of HOPAPORT Port is that there are crane and equipment necessary for the evacuation, storage and loading operations of the project loads, which we call between 50 tons and 600 tons, and suitable indoor and outdoor storage areas for storing these loads in the port area. In addition, the ship-to-ship evacuation and loading operations, which we call Limbo operation, are provided with both time and cost advantages. One of the strategic goals of HOPAPORT Port is one of the most important transit ports in the Black Sea region, where the most important heavy lift and project operations are carried out.

Can you give us the status, volume and capacity (and any other information) of HOPAPORT Port before privatization?

The construction of Hopa Port started in 1964 and the port construction was completed in 1973. Port Hope was opened by Turkey Maritime Organization in 1973. In these years, anchovy was exported from Hopa Port abroad. Hopa Port was used in a very important way in transit transports to Iran in the 1980s. After the Sarp border gate was opened in 1988, Hopa Port was actively used in the trade to the CIS countries, Central Asia and the Turkic Republics and continues to be used. HOPAPORT Port is 18 km from the steep border gate. It is remote.

There has been a significant increase in capacity in Hopa Port especially in recent years. To express this increase in figures, while the annual amount of cargo handled in 2011 was 575.000 tons, this figure was realized as 2 tons in 2013 within a short period of 875.000 years, which was considered as a short time for port management. As HOPAPORT in 2015, our goal is to be a medium-sized port by handling 1.000.000 tons of cargo and not a small-scale port.

After the privatization (1997) What kind of investments were made to HOPAPORT Port? How much capacity and distribution volume has grown?

HOPAPORT harbor, on June 26 1997 with privatization by the government of Turkey Maritime Organization Business Park Maritime and Port Hope was transferred by the method of transfer of operating rights with A.Ş. 30 years. HOPAPORT Port bears the distinction of being one of Turkey's first port privatization. 2 privatized with the right to use contract by TDI. private port. After taking over the operating rights of Hopa Port, Park Denizcilik took the closed storage area of ​​2000 m2 to 18.120 m2 and the open storage area of ​​54.000m2 to 72.622 m2. The port has become an important port complex of the region with its contemporary equipment and experienced staff. HOPAPORT provides bulk cargo, general cargo and container unloading and loading, terminal, storage, guidance and liquid tank terminal operations.

Are there any reasons or reasons for the interest and preference of Park Denizcilik?

The interest and preference of the Park Shipping Company for this port is that, considering the global world economy, this region will be a strategic regional port in the medium and long term transit trade.

As a result, in recent years, it has served the cotton load, which is intensively coming from Central Asia. Today, Iran, Nakhchivan regions, especially to wheat and other cargo to the Caucasus region with cargoes to Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and all transit operations in these regions actively continues to serve as the port of HOPAPORT.

What kind of obstacles and problems do you think HOPAPORT Port has for increasing the potential and capacity expansion?

The biggest obstacle on this issue is the failure to realize the planned railway project between Batumi and Hopa, which was considered as a result of the feasibility report prepared by Karadeniz Technical University. This issue constitutes an obstacle to the increase of the potential and the growth of the capacity. With Hopa TSO, the sensitivity of the subject was shared and a joint protocol was signed and the project was followed under the leadership of HTSO. The trading volume at the ports of Batumi and Poti is due to the fact that our 5-10 floor is on us because of the railway connections.

In addition, the absence of an Organized Industrial Zone (OIZ) in Artvin is one of the biggest problems to increase the potential of Hopa Port and to increase its capacity. When you look at this day, there are OSBs in the back hinterlands of all ports. They meet their raw material and semi-finished product needs through the port as well as export the products they produce through the port. We do not have such an opportunity. One of the two non-OIZ in Turkey Artvin province. As the public authority, NGOs and organizations, companies working in the production and service sector in the Artvin region, we need to work seriously on this issue and establish the OIZ as soon as possible.

HOPAPORT when compared with the major ports in Turkey, there are pros and cons, like what?

HOPAPORT harbor rail link is not the only drawback when compared with ports in Turkey. As mentioned above, our company HOPAPORT Port has initiated a project for the economic contribution to be provided to the Eastern Black Sea region in case of railway connection between Batumi and Hopa.

When compared with HOPAPORT harbor major ports in Turkey has very important advantages. terminal tank at the HOPAPORT within, ro-ro ramp, grain terminals and grain and cement silos at the same time bulk and container area, general cargo, project cargo, cereal, liquid bulk cargo, dangerous cargo, one in Turkey can provide container services special port operator. This gives customers a very important advantage. HOPAPORT Port can offer different services to customers at the same time.

HOPAPORT Port is one of the rare ports that can serve all kinds of loads between 50 tons and 600 tons and special loads that we call heavy lift.

HOPAPORT Port 2150 meter-long main breakwater and 470 meter-long secondary breakthrough in the harbor by taking the necessary security measures by taking all kinds of ship-to-ship operations can easily limbo.

HOPAPORT harbor 18.220 square meters of indoor storage area general warehouse, temporary storage and storage capacity have the most closed in the harbor in Turkey with internal storage has the distinction of being one of the ports. HOPAPORT 1346 can serve 10 pieces at the same time depending on the length of the pier and pier length and the ship size.

Are there any new projects and investments in HOPAPORT Port?

HOPAPORT Port has new project and investment works in 3 phase. These studies are currently in the project phase. As HOPAPORT Port, we are planning to realize these projects according to the increase in port load traffic and capacity utilization rate.

Can you evaluate HOPAPORT Port before the 2011 crisis, the crisis process and after?

There has been no decrease in the amount of cargo handled in 2010 in the HOPAPORT Port and the amount of cargo handled in 2011. In 2011, the amount of handled cargo per year in 2010 remained unchanged. HOPAPORT Port has increased its revenue by maintaining the amount of cargo handled by 2010 year by providing different customers, different types of cargo and service variety during the crisis period. In this case, while the 2010 portion of the total cargo handled in 70 was coal load, this rate was 2012 in the year 50, but the amount of cargo handled per year did not change. The same course was experienced in 2013, although the amount of coal handled in the port area decreased, the amount of cargo handled per year increased to 875.000.

Can you give us some information about the issues and developments that you consider important?

We, as HOPAPORT Port, have many issues, developments and projects that we consider to be important and follow.

KAZBEGI-VERHNI LARS LIMIT DOOR

The Kazbegi and Verhni Lars border crossing, which has been transiting through Georgia via Georgia, to the Russian Federation through Georgia and Abkhazia in the long term.

As a result of the increase in freight traffic in the region, the transit passages to Central Asia and Turkic Republics will become risky due to the negative developments in Middle East and Iran. As a result of these freight from Russia to Russia via Eastern Black Sea and Georgia, and from Russia to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan by ferry from Makhachkala to Kazakhstan, this route will extend to China by road and will make the Eastern Black Sea region logistically attractive. Because the loads from China to European countries can be delivered in minimum 40 days with the container line. The loads coming to the ports of the Eastern Black Sea Region via this line will give the opportunity to be sent to the European and hinterland countries in a shorter time.

BAKU-TİFLİS-KARS RAILWAY PROJECT

24 The works on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway, which was laid in July 2008, are ongoing. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Silk Railroad will be connected to Beijing in London in winter. Baku-Tbilisi Kars Railway Project, to establish direct railway link between Turkey and Georgia and Azerbaijan with Turkey via Georgia to the existing railway line, the Middle Aya, is intended to create a rail link between China and Mongolia. According to the information received from the authorities, with the commissioning of the ICTA line, it is planned to carry 1 million passengers and 6,5 million tons of cargo per year. After the completion of the BTK railway operation, we think that this situation will be an advantage for HOPAPORT port which is the closest sea port to Kars.

TRACECA PROJECT

A new TRACECA map was launched at the end of the study between 2007 and 2009, which was initiated to include new ports and routes that would contribute to the economic development of the region in the TRACECA map. Port Hope by Turkey was added to the TRACECA map. Also joining the highway corridor connecting Europe and the Caucasus via Turkey Istanbul, Samsun and Hope will be realized by the highway. As HOPAPORT Port is on the Black Sea motorway, any service required for international trucks and trucks is provided in HOPAPORT Port.

HOPA, BATUM RAILWAY PROJECT

Georgia's Batumi and Poti ports, although it depends on the Caucasus region and the railway network extending to Central Asia, Turkey rail link is not the only region of the Eastern Black Sea ports of Turkey to limit the opening of the Central Asian region and made transit trade taken from the share to fall cause. With a short distance from Hopa-Batumi railway Turkey via Georgia to the Russian Federation will be able to connect the railway network. The fact that the railway network is not connected to the Eastern Black Sea region in the short term causes many opportunities to be missed. Therefore, the start of the Hopa and Batumi railway project is very important for the economic development of the Eastern Black Sea region. The length of the Hopa, Sarp and Batumi railway project is projected as 38 kilometers. In this regard, a feasibility study will be made in the 2015 year under the leadership of HTSO and through DOKA and will be shared with all non-governmental organizations and institutions.

ARTVİN ORGANIZED INDUSTRIAL ZONE

In Turkey there are currently no organized industrial zones 2 units in our province, one of them Artvin is knowledge. With the density experienced in Hopa Port in recent years, the number of companies that want to invest in the region has been increasing. However, I am sorry to say that these companies have to make investments in another region since they cannot find a place in the port or Hopa. Many companies want to export to abroad by sea and land by making production in the facilities they have established by investing in a region close to the port by importing raw materials or semi-finished products. In addition, there are targets to deliver these products to consumers in the Doğa Black Sea and Eastern Anatolia regions. I think this topic should be one of Artvin's most important and fastest solutions. As soon as the 500-acre restriction, which is the minimum area size for OSB, is not monolithic in Artvin, it should be re-evaluated for this region.

BATTERY AND CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

The building restorations, residential and hotel constructions in Batumi, which aim to become a tourism center, have revived the construction sector. This situation increases the demand of construction materials such as iron and steel products, cement, insulated cables, plastic construction materials and processed stone. HOPAPORT Port, which is the closest and safest port to the Sarp border gate, is used for all services required for the evacuation, storage, customs and export of the mentioned building materials. In the short and medium term, we plan to continue to increase the types of construction materials and tonnages to be handled at Hopa Port. Interviews for projects related to this issue continue in 2014.

HOPA-CANKURTARAN TUNNEL

Hopa-Borcka Cankurtaran tunnel construction groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 29, 2010. The total duration of the project has been determined to be 910 working days. The estimated ending year will be the second half of 2015. Lifeguard tunnel 2 km. Turkey's length bears the distinction of being the longest tunnel was projected until today. After the Hopa-Borcka Lifeguard tunnel is built, the transportation companies between HOPAPORT port and the surrounding cities can be used more easily and international road firms can use this line via Artvin. This line will be a suitable line for the companies that make road transport to Iran and Nakhichevan.

LIQUID TANK TERMINAL

There are 7 liquid tank storage facilities within the bounded area of ​​HOPAPORT Port. The liquid tank terminal has a total storage capacity of 38.000 cubic meters. In the 2011, the HOPAPORT Port has started the black product handling as of the beginning of 2012 in the tank terminal facilities where only white products are handled by the investment. HOPAPORT serves the Port of tank terminal facilities with all of Turkey's eastern regions.

GRAIN TERMINAL

The grain terminal built in 1994 in Hopa Port has never been used until the date of transfer. With the works carried out by HOPAPORT port, the silo and loading systems, which have never been used since the establishment of 2011 in September, have been overhauled, equipment controlled, tests have been carried out, revision and modernization works have been completed. The demand for the plant was ready for use at the beginning of 2012 and the wheat load was handled for the first time in the facilities.

3.000 and 5.000 tons of river-type vessels are transported from Russia to HOPAPORT Port with a fast loading from the silos to the land transport vehicles and transported to Central Asian Republics, mainly to Nakhichevan. The port separates a berth for grain vessels and ships are evacuated without waiting. All transactions are done with automatic systems, reducing the costs of processing and accelerating the process.

CEMENT TERMINAL

The construction of Cement silo within the scope of HOPAPORT projects has been completed. Within the scope of the project, construction of the total capacity of 1.791 m3 ash silos, each of which is 3.582 m3, has been completed by using HOPAPORT own equity.

HOPAPORT Cement silos 5.000 m2 area of ​​the area rented to a private company on each of the 1.500 pieces of silicon 3 pieces of silo and each of 1.900 tons of 2 pieces of silo in total 8.300 tons of cement terminal construction work has been completed and in the coming days the plant consisting of 5 silo It will be taken.

CRUISE SHIP HOSES WILL BE PROVIDED

HOPAPORT is a cruise tourism project that has made significant contributions to the tourism of our country in recent years. We are working to stop the cruise ships coming to Sinop-Samsun-Trabzon ports at HOPAPORT. Hopa TSO has been agreed to work together with the project, the Provincial Governor's Office, District Governors and Mayors and relevant CSOs from the point of view of ownership at the point of adoption of the project in the Port area, how to make arrangements are made.

In this regard, while the coordinated work with an expert consultant from İzmir was continuing, support was requested from DOKA and DOKAP.

HOPA VOCATIONAL SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF MARINE AND PORT MANAGEMENT

Artvin Coruh University, Hopa Vocational School of Higher Education within the Department of Transportation Services and the Marine and Port Management Program opened. The Marine and Port Management Program was opened under the Transportation Services Department within the Hopa Vocational High School.

The opening of this section in Hopa is late, but the opening is still very gratifying. Sea and Port Management departments were opened in provinces and districts without borders. Hopa is a very important district in terms of our country and Hopa Port adds its privilege to this location. Institutions like us are always in need of trained staff. I strongly advise students and all students studying in Artvin and its districts to write Hopa Vocational High School Marine and Port Management Department. We will be in very close relations with this section as Hopa Port. In this section, we will play an encouraging role by providing internships and scholarships to our students studying.

HOPAPORT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROJECTS

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

HOPAPORT Port is contributing to the Beach Volleyball tournament held in our district every year. HOPE culture between Turkey Volleyball Federation 28 July and August 2 2015 history, art and festival events located under the sea beach volleyball tournament in Turkey decided to name CUP done in Hopa. HOPAPORT Port has been the main sponsor of this tournament since 2010. We invite all sports fans to the beach volleyball tournament to be held in 2015.