Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu gave information about the works carried out at Iskenderun Port after the earthquake that hit Turkey on February 6, 2023.
Minister Uraloğlu stated that damage was detected in coastal facilities after the earthquake and that serious damage was detected at the docks of Limak and Gübretaş İskenderun Ports. Expressing that with the dynamism of the private sector and the necessary support of the Ministry, operations at the coastal facilities started 48 hours after the earthquake, as planned, Uraloğlu noted that the fire that occurred in Iskenderun Limak Port was taken under control in a short time with sea, land and air intervention under the coordination of the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs.
Stating that Iskenderun Port regained its former strength with rapid rehabilitation works, Uraloğlu said that on April 8, 2023, the first commercial container ship docked at Iskenderun Port, which repaired its heavy damage for handling, only two months after the earthquake. Stating that the second dock of Iskenderun Port started to serve on May 29, 2023, Uraloğlu noted that in October, repairs were completed at the docks and handling equipment where containers over 300 meters long could dock, and a 335-meter-long container ship was successfully handled safely at Iskenderun Port. Stating that the repair of the last damaged dock of the port will be completed in December and will start to serve, Uraloğlu said:
“Between February 6 and October 31, 2023, a total of 45 million 847 thousand 22 tons of cargo and 444 thousand 199 TEU containers were handled at the administrative port facilities of Iskenderun Regional Port Authority. When these values are compared with the same period last year, despite the earthquake, they show only a 7 percent decrease (2022 million tons in the same period in 49.22), and it is expected to approach last year's values by the end of the year. Between 6 February and 31 October 2023, 2 million 573 thousand 118 tons of cargo and 246 thousand 391 TEU containers were handled at Limak İskenderun Port. "Although our port was severely damaged in the earthquake and started its routine activities in the middle of the year, it recovered very quickly and in a short time and started to serve our regional industry, especially with container handling activities."
Uraloğlu stated that İskenderun Port is one of the most important ports of Turkey and stated that the port activities returned to their normal course in a short time, thanks to the rapid and effective measures taken after the earthquake.