57% of Türkiye’s Exports in the First Four Months Moved by Sea
Sea freight carried 57% of exports
According to figures compiled from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), Türkiye’s exports reached 80.87 billion USD in the January–April period.
Most of that foreign trade travelled by sea: cargo carried on ships was worth 45.73 billion USD, against 50.3 billion USD in the same period a year earlier. Sea transport thus accounted for 57% of total exports — a share explained above all by freight rates that remain more affordable than those of other modes.
Road transport is second
After sea, road was the most used mode in foreign trade. In the first four months, exports carried by road amounted to 27.07 billion USD, or 33.5% of the total.
Air freight grew in the same period despite the partial decline in overall exports: revenue from goods flown out rose 11.3% year on year to 7.02 billion USD.
Rail, by contrast, declined in line with the fall in total exports, generating 794.8 million USD. Other modes accounted for a further 251 million USD.
Imports follow the same pattern
Of Türkiye’s 124.31 billion USD of imports in the period, sea transport again took the largest share with 63.72 billion USD, followed by:
- Road — 22.8 billion USD
- Air — 19.1 billion USD
- Rail — 746.5 million USD
- Other modes — close to 18 billion USD
ASR Transit — your partner in logistics
ASR Transit works to move your cargo from every port quickly, safely and at a sensible cost. Through the sea, road and rail (BTK line) trades we run intensively, we make life easier for the business partners who create value for our country.