A study of shipping industry and assessment of environmental impacts in Turkey

Abstract

In recent years, the importance of the environmental concerns at shipping and the related standards/safety measures have become subject to clear understanding and acceptance of each country at international platforms. The aim of this study was to evaluatelinvestigate the reflections of the international standardization developments at Turkey and the ways for reaching the very strict and internationally requested standards at her shipping industry at once. For this purpose; general evaluation of the prospective Turkish Shipping Industry, its development during the recent years, its current performance in the terms of conforming with the international standards and ways for reaching these standards with a better conformance have been investigated. The necessary steps that Turkey should immediately take during this period have been evaluated by specifically studying the problems of the Turkish Ports that can be defined as evident indicators of the economic power of a country. The results were expressed by analyzing the economic, commercial and technological means of overcoming the sub standardization at Turkish ShippingIPorts. Moreover, 'Pipe-Line' alternative has been suggested instead of 'Straits' alternative with social cost/benefit analysis of marine pollution and other environmental effects that have been studied by evaluating the effects of tanker accidents on environment and human nature.