Business · Trade · 5 hrs ago
Turkey’s port foreign-trade cargo fell 6.2% in September
In September 2026, Turkey’s ports handled 6.2% less foreign-trade cargo than a year earlier, as export and import volumes fell.
The drop came amid industrial contraction and geopolitical developments in the Black Sea region, which were cited as pressures on port traffic.
Domestic sea transport, known as cabotage, and transit cargo both increased, partly offsetting the decline.
Over the first nine months of 2026, total cargo handled at the ports rose just 0.6%, while foreign-trade cargo fell by more than 9.5 million tonnes.
Export loads in full containers fell 2%, but empty export-container movements rose 16.4% in the same period.
An expert said this gap points to a structural imbalance in trade, even as overall container handling increased.
Foreign-trade cargo handled at Turkey’s ports fell 6.2% year on year in September to 29.508 million tonnes.
Exports declined 4.6% to 10.641 million tonnes, while imports fell 7.1% to 18.866 million tonnes.
Total cargo handled at ports fell 1.2% to 42.380 million tonnes.
Coastal shipping and transit cargo increased, partly offsetting the decline in foreign-trade cargo.
The report cited industrial contraction and geopolitical developments along the Black Sea route as factors affecting port cargo movements.
- Who
- Turkey’s ports.
- What
- Foreign-trade cargo handled at the ports fell 6.2% year on year in September.
- When
- September 2026.
- Where
- Ports in Turkey.
- Why
- The report cited industrial contraction and geopolitical developments along the Black Sea route.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- September foreign-trade cargo
- 29.508 million tonnes, down 6.2% year on year
- September export cargo
- 10.641 million tonnes, down 4.6% year on year
- September import cargo
- 18.866 million tonnes, down 7.1% year on year
- September total port cargo
- 42.380 million tonnes, down 1.2% year on year
- January–September total port cargo
- 412.147 million tonnes, up 0.6% year on year
1 source
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What people are saying
Solid mineral fuels were the group with the steepest decline, down 16.1%.