The current capacity is being increased at Mersin International Port (MIP), the import and export gateway of Çukurova industrialists to the world. Johan Van Daele, General Manager of MIP, said that when they complete the project, which will provide 1 million TEU (container unit) additional capacity with a budget of 375 million dollars, which they started in 2021, they will increase their total capacity to 3.6 million TEU.
Johan Van Daele, General Manager of MIP, said that they will increase their total capacity to 3.6 million TEU when they complete the Expansion Project (EMH2), which will provide 1 million TEU additional capacity with a budget of 375 million dollars, which they started in 2021.
Noting that they will further increase their operational power by adding 4 dock cranes and 24 field cranes to the EMH2 Terminal, which is planned to be operational in 2023, Van Daele said, “With the extension of the EMH Terminal, we will serve two mega ships at the same time and optimize ship waiting times. The number of direct services will increase and there will be competitive freights with shorter transit times. When the project is completed, the strategic position of Mersin Port opening to the Eastern Mediterranean will be strengthened and will provide added value to the economic development of the region. As a result, it will be able to compete with the terminals of other countries in the Mediterranean basin in the transshipment container trade.”.
Employment of 3 thousand people
Johan Van Daele stated that important markets such as America, Europe, Africa and the Far East can be reached by direct sea voyages from Mersin, and also reported that they had the opportunity for easy access to refrigerated container services for citrus and other fresh vegetables and fruits, which have an important place for the regional economy. Van Daele noted that Mersin International Port undertakes a significant part of Turkey’s import and export volume with its wide hinterland and employment of 3,000 people. MIP provides services to import and export customers operating in the region with ship/service connections that meet the evolving needs of port users over the years. On the other hand, it stands out with the technological conveniences it provides to its customers and the economic benefits it offers with the economy of scale, adding that MIP also provides an environment where it can provide all services to its customers at a single point with its logistics infrastructure that can serve all load types.
Additional project of 230 million liras
Johan Van Daele stated that in addition to the EMH2 project, they aim to implement the Doors Project with a budget of 230 million TL as soon as possible in order to improve the existing structure of the port gates, both in terms of regulating the traffic and providing operational benefits. The connection includes three stream crossings within the TOKİ site, an overpass on Turgut Özal Boulevard and a six-lane bridge over Çavuşlu Creek, ten entrance gates, related automation works and auxiliary facilities. The projects of the mentioned structures have been made and the opinions of the relevant institutions are taken. Approval procedures for the 1680 m2 land needed for the six-lane bridge on the Veterinary land are still in progress. In addition, two bridges and one railway displacement were completed within the scope of the project. After the legislative provisions were fulfilled, efforts were made to implement the project in question in less than a year.
Will reduce emissions by 2030
Johan Van Daele, General Manager of MIP, stated that they approach innovation and digitalization projects with high sensitivity while planning investments that will increase their operational power, and said: “With our long-term strategies, we aim for sustainable development by focusing not only on solutions that increase environmental but also social impact. In order to use our resources in the best way, we closely follow environmentally friendly technological developments and transform our fossil fuel equipment into equipment that consumes electrical energy. We aim to reduce our absolute CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2030, and aim to achieve zero carbon emissions in the future.”