The 7th Joint Professional Committees Meeting of the Turkish Chamber of Shipping for the 2022–2026 working period was held on Saturday, November 29, 2025, in Sapanca, with the honored participation of the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.

The meeting, chaired by Turkish Chamber of Shipping Chairman of the Board, Tamer Kıran, was attended by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu; Sakarya Governor Rahmi Doğan; Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Yusuf Alemdar; Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Durmuş Ünüvar; Director General of Maritime Affairs Ünal Baylan; Director General of Shipyards and Coastal Structures Salih Tan; Director General of Coastal Safety Mustafa Bankaoğlu; Turkish Chamber of Shipping Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Emin Eminoğlu; Board Members; Branch Board Chairmen and Members; and Professional Committee Chairmen and Members.

The meeting began with a moment of silence in memory of the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and our martyrs, followed by the Turkish National Anthem. In his opening remarks, Tamer Kıran recalled that Türkiye was re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) during the elections held as part of the IMO 34th General Assembly in London.

Noting that Türkiye has succeeded in being represented on the IMO Council continuously since first becoming a candidate in 1999, Tamer Kıran congratulated Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, his team, and the members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their significant contributions to this achievement.

Pointing out that the world is going through a difficult period marked by major challenges particularly in the areas of peace, the environment, and the economy, Tamer Kıran stated that the maritime sector, as one of the main pillars of global trade and the world economy, is directly affected by all these issues.

Highlighting that the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships, improving energy efficiency, the shift toward alternative fuels, next-generation technological solutions, and the development of “green port” practices have become key agenda items, especially climate change and environmental protection efforts, Tamer Kıran emphasized:

“Rising protectionism in global trade and the implementation of cross-border carbon regulations necessitate a new transformation in production and investment policies. It is clear that countries implementing predictable, transformation-supporting policies will be more competitive. All these developments indicate that we must prepare for a future in which sustainable maritime transport requires us to become more environmentally friendly, more digitalized, and more resilient to geopolitical risks, by developing the right plans and strategies.”

Tamer Kıran stated that they regularly submit reports to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure outlining the sector’s issues and proposed solutions. He emphasized major priorities such as developing and supporting the Turkish-owned merchant fleet, particularly the need to renew the coaster fleet in the short and medium term.

Expressing satisfaction with the strong cooperation established with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Tamer Kıran said he is fully confident that high-level collaboration between the industry and the administration will continue, as always.

He thanked Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu and his team for their close attention to the maritime sector and wished for a successful Joint Professional Committees Meeting.

Following his remarks, Tamer Kıran presented a gift to Minister Uraloğlu in honor of the day.

During the meeting, members of the Professional Committees took the floor to express their concerns. Minister Uraloğlu took note of the issues raised and provided responses regarding possible solutions.