TY - JOUR T1 - TRENDS IN TURKISH PORT TRAFFIC BY FLAG: VESSEL ARRIVALS AND GROSS TONNAGE AU - Çapar, Sedat PY - 2025 DA - September Y2 - 2025 JF - International Maritime Studies and Research Journal JO - IMSAR PB - Dokuz Eylul University WT - DergiPark SN - 3108-4648 SP - 29 EP - 44 VL - 1 IS - 1 LA - en AB - This study analyzes the monthly trends in vessel traffic at Turkish ports between 2015 and 2025, focusing on the distribution of Turkish and foreign-flagged ships regarding arrival counts and gross tonnage. Using aggregated port-level data, the study provides a longitudinal perspective on the structural changes in fleet composition, with particular attention to the post-2019 period. The analysis highlights consistent dominance of foreign-flagged vessels in gross tonnage, alongside a partial numerical recovery of Turkish-flagged ships in early 2025. Findings are presented through descriptive statistics and visualizations to inform future research and support operational and strategic decision-making in the maritime sector. KW - vessel traffic KW - flag analysis KW - gross tonnage KW - Turkish ports KW - structural change CR - [1] Heaver, T. D. (2002). The evolving roles of shipping lines in international logistics. International Journal of Maritime Economics, 4, 210–230. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.ijme.9100042 CR - [2] Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. (2025). Maritime statistics portal. Retrieved July 02, 2025, from https://denizcilikistatistikleri.uab.gov.tr/gemi-istatistikleri CR - [3] Stopford, M. (2013). Maritime economics. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203442661 CR - [4] Transportation Maritime Administration, U. S. D. of. (2011). COMPARISON OF u.s. AND FOREIGN‐FLAG OPERATING COSTS. https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/docs/resources/3651/comparisonofusandforeignflagoperatingcosts.pdf CR - [5] UNCTAD. (2023). Review of maritime transport 2023: Towards a green and just transition. https://unctad.org/webflyer/review-maritime-transport-2023 CR - [6] UNCTAD. (2025). Shipping data: UNCTAD releases new seaborne trade statistics. In https://unctad.org/news/shipping-data-unctad-releases-new-seaborne-trade-statistics. CR - [7] Watterson, C. J., Osborne, S., & Grant, S. (2020). Open registries as an enabler of maritime sanctions evasion. Marine Policy, 119, 104090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2020.104090 UR - https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/imsar/issue//1737243 L1 - https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/5033632 ER -