Home · Tuzla & Yalova Shipyards

⚓ Turkey's Maritime Industrial Heart

Tuzla & Yalova Shipyards — Where Turkish Shipbuilding Lives

Tuzla and Yalova together form Türkiye's largest shipbuilding and ship repair cluster — a complete industrial ecosystem of 85 active shipyards, 47 drydocks, and 94,000+ industry workers. Akkan Maritime operates at the heart of this region, serving foreign shipowners and investors as the on-the-ground broker, project manager, and trustee party.

85 Active Shipyards (Türkiye)
4.79M DWT Annual Capacity
47 Drydocks & Floating Docks
94K+ Industry Workers

Aerial overview of the Tuzla and Yalova shipyard region — Turkey's industrial maritime heart, where Akkan Maritime operates and brokers across the full cluster.

Sector Data

The numbers that define Turkish shipbuilding

Türkiye's shipbuilding industry has grown from 37 shipyards and 0.55 million DWT capacity in 2002 to 85 active shipyards and 4.79 million DWT in 2024 — an 8-fold capacity expansion over two decades. The figures below are sourced from the Turkish Shipbuilders Association (GİSBİR), the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (UAB), and the Presidency of Strategy and Budget.

Source: GİSBİR · 2024

Active shipyards and dock capacity

85 · 47

Türkiye currently hosts 85 active shipyards and 47 docks — 36 floating docks plus 11 dry docks — with combined annual newbuilding capacity of 4.79 million DWT.

View original sector report at GİSBİR →
Source: SBB / Presidency of Strategy · 2025

Growth trajectory 2002 → 2024

8× capacity

Active shipyards grew from 37 in 2002 to 85 in 2024 (+130%). Annual newbuilding capacity rose from 0.55 million DWT to 4.79 million DWT — an 8-fold expansion driven by Tuzla and Yalova/Altinova cluster development.

View original SBB report (PDF) →
Source: UAB Ministry · 2023

Industry employment

94,057

The Turkish shipbuilding industry and its supporting supply chain together employ 94,057 workers as of 2023 — making it one of Türkiye's largest industrial employment clusters and a key driver of skilled manufacturing in the Marmara region.

View official statistics at UAB TKYGM →
Source: Forbes Türkiye · Oct 2024

Turkish merchant fleet rank

12th globally

The Turkish commercial fleet reached 1,962 vessels and 49.7 million DWT by end-2023, ranking 12th globally after a 67%+ expansion over 18 months. Türkiye now sits between European maritime nations in fleet ownership scale.

View Forbes Türkiye sector analysis →
Yalova, Tuzla and Karadeniz Ereğli shipbuilding clusters represent strategic regions of Türkiye both in terms of technical capacity and employment potential.

— Denizyolu Ulaştırması Özel İhtisas Komisyonu Raporu, T.C. Presidency of Strategy and Budget, 2025

Read full official report (PDF) →

The Cluster Map

Three regions, one ecosystem

The Tuzla–Yalova–Karadeniz Ereğli axis forms a 200km industrial corridor concentrated around the Marmara Sea, with each region specializing in distinct vessel types and capabilities.

Tuzla 35 shipyards

Türkiye's largest shipyard cluster — the heart of commercial shipbuilding and ship repair. Specialized in tankers, bulk carriers, RoRo, military, tug & workboats, conversions, and major repair projects. Akkan Maritime is headquartered here.

Yalova / Altınova ~30 shipyards

Türkiye's mega-yacht production center, also home to large newbuilding facilities. Specialized in luxury yachts, fishing vessels, naval platforms, and large commercial newbuilds. Developed by the Altınova Shipyard Entrepreneurs cooperative since 2004.

Karadeniz Ereğli & Black Sea Strategic backup

Black Sea coast shipyards complementing the Marmara cluster — workboat construction, mid-size newbuildings, and specialized repair facilities serving Black Sea trade routes.

Tuzla shipyard region — Turkey's commercial shipbuilding capital

Akkan Maritime's Role

Your on-the-ground partner in Tuzla

For foreign shipowners and investors approaching the Turkish shipyard cluster, working through a local broker with deep ecosystem access is essential. Akkan Maritime serves three core functions across the Tuzla and Yalova region:

🤝

Broker & Yard Selector

We evaluate your project requirements against the capabilities, schedule, and pricing of each shipyard in the cluster — selecting A/B/C-tier candidates and managing competitive tenders for newbuilding, conversion, or repair work.

📐

Project Manager & Supervisor

Akkan engineers act as your on-site project management team — handling class society liaison, technical disputes, schedule monitoring, change orders, and quality control across the construction or repair lifecycle.

⚖️

Trustee Party

For high-value or complex projects, Akkan operates as an independent trustee party — overseeing milestone payments, technical acceptance, and contract delivery to protect both shipowner and shipyard interests.

Our Differentiator

The Akkan Full-Service Model

Most brokers cover one piece. We offer four — independently or as one accountability chain. One contact, one responsibility, one trusted party across the project lifecycle.

Module 01

Yard Selection & Brokerage

A/B/C-tier shipyard evaluation, competitive tendering, contract negotiation. We know the cluster from the inside.

Commission-based · Yard-paid
Module 02

Project Management & Supervision

Daily on-site presence, class liaison, schedule control, quality inspection, technical dispute resolution. Naval architects on the ground.

Service-based · Monthly retainer
Module 03

Vessel Agent / Owner's Rep

Pre-arrival coordination, drydock booking, technical staff coordination, crew matters, customs and class survey logistics during yard period.

Service-based · Per-vessel fee
Module 04

Trustee Party Oversight

For high-value projects: independent milestone payment oversight, technical acceptance, contractual dispute mediation. Protects both shipowner and yard.

Premium · Project-based fee

Take one module, or take all four. Whether you need just yard brokerage or full trustee-party oversight, Akkan operates as your single point of accountability across the project lifecycle.

Our Process

From first inquiry to vessel delivery

A transparent six-step engagement model — every milestone documented, every party accountable. Below is how typical engagement flows when working with Akkan Maritime in the Tuzla–Yalova cluster.

01

Inquiry & Scope

First contact via email or form. Vessel particulars, project scope, target timeline, budget range.

Day 1
02

Yard Shortlist

We identify 3–5 candidate shipyards based on capacity, current schedule, technical fit, and price level.

Days 2–5
03

Tender & Quote

Competitive tendering across shortlisted yards. We negotiate technical scope and commercial terms.

Weeks 1–3
04

Contract & Mobilization

Contract finalization with class society, payment terms, technical specs, delivery milestones, performance guarantees.

Weeks 3–6
05

Execution & Supervision

Daily on-site monitoring, weekly progress reports, technical issue resolution, milestone inspection with class.

Duration
06

Delivery & Handover

Sea trials, class certification, final payment release, vessel handover, post-delivery warranty support.

Delivery

Why Akkan

How we differ from typical brokers

Most ship brokers cover one piece of the project. Most project management firms know little about specific yards. Most port agents handle only operational matters. Akkan combines all three — backed by 25+ years of naval architecture and 72 delivered projects.

Capability Akkan Maritime Typical Broker Typical PM Firm Typical Port Agent
Tuzla shipyard insider network✓✓✗Partial
In-house naval architects✓✗Sometimes✗
Multi-class society access✓Partial✓✗
Vessel agent / on-site rep✓✗Partial✓
Trustee party oversight✓✗✗✗
Newbuilding + Repair coverageBothUsually oneUsually oneRepair only
FAS Ship Registry rep (Faroe Islands)Exclusive TR + GR✗✗✗
DSIC-Shanhaiguan China accessOfficial rep✗✗✗

Comparison is illustrative, based on industry-typical service scope. Actual capabilities vary by firm.

Three Ways to Engage

Where are you in the process?

Different needs require different responses. Tell us where you stand — we'll route your inquiry to the right team within hours.

⚓

Planning a Newbuilding

Looking to build a new vessel in Tuzla, Yalova, or DSIC China? We'll help you select the right yard and structure the project.

Start newbuilding inquiry → 🔧

Need Ship Repair / Drydock

Planning a special survey, intermediate survey, or major repair? See current drydock availability across the cluster.

View repair & drydock options → ⚡

Vessel Already in Cluster

Vessel currently in or arriving Tuzla/Yalova? Need owner's representation, technical support, or dispute mediation?

Get on-site support →
M/F Utne — Norled 49m DNV-classed passenger and car ferry, newbuilding site supervision by Akkan Maritime
Featured Reference · Newbuilding Site Supervision

M/F Utne — Norled, Norway

A 49-metre DNV-classed passenger and car ferry delivered to Norled, Norway. Akkan Maritime served as the newbuilding site supervision team — managing the project to Scandinavian operating standards, DNV class requirements, and Norwegian regulatory compliance from contract through delivery.

49 m
Length Overall
DNV
Class Society
🇳🇴
Norwegian Flag
PAX
Passenger / Car Ferry

Proof of Akkan Maritime's capability to manage newbuilding projects to the most demanding Northern European specifications — a key reference for Scandinavian and German shipowners considering Turkish or partner-cluster construction.

Why Foreign Owners Choose This Cluster

Five reasons the Tuzla–Yalova cluster wins

For Greek, Scandinavian, and Northern European shipowners, the Turkish cluster offers a distinct value proposition compared to Far East and Western European alternatives.

01

Cost-competitive vs. Northern Europe

Construction and repair costs in Turkey remain significantly below Norway, Netherlands, or Germany — without the quality compromise of Far East yards.

02

Quality-competitive vs. Far East

Skilled workforce, IACS class society on-site presence, and EU-aligned welding and material standards deliver Northern European quality at Turkish prices.

03

Fast turnaround

Typical newbuilding lead time of 6–12 months from contract to launch — compared to 18–30 months in many European yards.

04

Complete marine equipment ecosystem

Crane, winch, hydraulics, electronics, accommodation, paint suppliers all within 30 km of the cluster — minimizing supply chain delays and inspection logistics.

05

Multi-class society presence

BV, RINA, DNV, RMRS, Lloyd's Register, Türk Loydu surveyors all maintain offices in the Tuzla region — enabling rapid class submission and approval cycles.

06

Geographic position

Strategic location between the Black Sea, Mediterranean, and Northern European markets — ideal for European charterers and short-distance delivery voyages.

Official sources and further reading

Note: Akkan Maritime is independent of GİSBİR and the Ministry of Transport. We reference their published data to provide an accurate overview of the Tuzla–Yalova shipyard ecosystem. All sector statistics on this page are linked to their original sources.

Ready to navigate the Tuzla cluster?

Whether you need to source a newbuilding, plan a major ship conversion, secure drydock capacity for a special survey, or evaluate yard options for a complex project — let's discuss your requirements.

Request a Tuzla cluster consultation

or email us directly at info@akkanmaritime.com

* Required. We respond within 1 business day.