Vice President Yılmaz, in his speech here, said the following: “Dear Minister, esteemed representatives of our maritime industry, valued guests, I greet you with love, respect and affection on behalf of myself and our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. I am very pleased to host you in Istanbul, which brings together continents, civilizations and seaways, at the 5th Maritime Summit held on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the entry into force of our Cabotage Law. I say “Welcome, you have brought joy” to all the guests who attended the Summit from different corners of our country. I hope that the 5th Maritime Summit will be successful and create a basis for discussions that enlighten our horizons. Dear participants, yesterday, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the entry into force of our Cabotage Law, we once again commemorated the glorious journey of Turkish maritime from the past to the future. I wish that the Cabotage Day will be beneficial for our Heroic Naval Forces, our maritime industry, our country and our nation. I congratulate the Cabotage Day of our entire nation, especially our sailors. I commemorate with gratitude all those who worked hard to bring Turkish maritime to this day and who paid the price when necessary, and I pray for God’s mercy on the sailors we sent away to eternity.

A HERITAGE IN MARITIME THAT EXTENDS FOR CENTURIES

We are a country that is geographically surrounded by seas on three sides and has given great importance to maritime throughout our history. We are the grandchildren of ancestors who were strong, determined, determined and genius enough to sail their ships from land when necessary. Our maritime adventure, which started with ÇAKA BEY in these lands, has turned into a great epic written with glory and honor in history with the heroic stories of Karamürsel Beys, Piri Reiss, Barbaros, Seydi Ali Reis. From the first ports of the Seljuks to the Mediterranean, to the powerful navy of the Ottoman Empire, which ruled three continents and turned the Mediterranean into a “Turkish lake”, maritime has always had an exceptional place for us. Tersane-i Âmire, where we are meeting with you now, the construction of which started by the order of Sultan Fatih, has an important share in our historical heritage. While Tersane-i Âmire improves Turkish maritime in terms of production, technology and engineering and paves the way for new victories; It has ensured the institutionalization of our maritime acquis with the captains, naval architects, masters and soldiers it has trained. In addition to being one of the important elements of our military, economic, commercial and diplomatic power, the seas have been one of the most powerful opportunities for our nation to carry its civilizational accumulation to different geographies throughout history. Today, this historical heritage gains a stronger meaning with the understanding of the Blue Homeland; It refers to the protection of our sovereign rights in the seas, the development of our maritime capacity and the most effective use of the opportunities offered by our seas. Just as every inch of our homeland has indispensable value for us, our seas are a national value that we must protect, develop and entrust to future generations with the same understanding.

NEW GLOBAL COMPETITION IN THE SEAS

Developments in the world point to a new era in which balances are reshaped in many areas, from global politics to trade routes, from energy corridors to supply chains. In this process where the international system evolves into a multipolar structure, the seas are becoming one of the main areas of economic competition and geostrategic struggle. Today, when approximately 90 percent of world trade is carried out by sea, maritime has become one of the most determining elements of global production, trade and logistics. Surrounded by seas on three sides, with straits connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, and located at the intersection of Europe, Asia and Africa, Türkiye is at the center of this new global picture. Dear guests, our history, our geographical location, and the new picture revealed by global geopolitics shape our perspective on maritime. Achieving all our goals, from export to trade, from tourism to defense and security; It requires us to be strong at sea and in maritime. In the last 23 years, we have seen maritime as one of our strategic priorities and shaped our policies accordingly. We achieved the successes we are proud of today by strengthening our maritime infrastructure, which was behind the level we desired when we took office.

HISTORICAL GROWTH IN PORTS AND FLEET

Türkiye today; It is one of the world’s leading maritime countries with 218 port facilities, 65 marinas, 85 active shipyards, 400 fishing shelters, 181 boat manufacturing and slipyards, 23 ship recycling facilities, 51 pools (11 dry and 40 floating), 144 thousand seafarers and more than 1 million amateur sailors.
Our Turkish-owned maritime fleet ranked 17th with 8.9 million deadweight tons in 2002; As of 2026, it has risen to 11th place, with 2 thousand 234 ships and a capacity of 51.8 million deadweight tons. Our 5 ports, Ambarlı, Kocaeli, Tekirdağ, Mersin and Aliağa, are currently among the 100 busiest ports in the world. In 2025, we served 62 thousand 656 ships in our ports. The number of cruise ships calling at our ports increased by 15.1 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 1,375; The number of passengers reached 2.2 million.

CENTER OF ATTRACTION IN YACHT TOURISM

We have made our country a center of attraction in yacht tourism with the new marinas we have built in the last 23 years and the ever-increasing mooring capacity.
We increased the number of marinas, which were 41 in 2002, to 65 by opening our Gazipaşa Marina. We increased our mooring capacity from 8,500 to 26 thousand. Last year, we carried nearly 119 million passengers and 9 million 600 thousand vehicles with our companies operating on cabotage lines. On the other hand, our shipbuilding industry, which employs more than 84 thousand brothers, is in a strong and influential position on a global scale. Our shipbuilding industry, which ranks 7th in the world in ship orders and 10th in tonnage, has risen to second place in the world in mega yacht manufacturing. In the field of ship recycling, we are the 3rd in the world and the leader in Europe. Dear sailor brothers, we have been continuing the SCT-free fuel support we started in 2004 uninterruptedly for 22 years. To date, we have provided a total of 21.8 billion lira of support to our sector. We continued to support our maritime industry with the support of 5.3 billion lira we provided in 2025 alone.

STRONG POSITION IN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING

We are constantly expanding our maritime cooperation network internationally. To date, we have signed 65 maritime agreements with 51 countries; Last year, we were elected to the International Maritime Organization Council, of which we have been an uninterrupted member since 1999, for the 14th time with a high percentage of votes. We have been increasing the fees collected from ships passing through our straits without a stopover with the updates we have made since 2022. We will continue to provide these updates each Cabotage Festival. We maintain our uncompromising stance on maritime safety and security, and continue the necessary work for the safe evacuation of our ships stranded due to the war in the Persian Gulf. We expect freedom of navigation to be fully implemented in an environment where the war ends and permanent peace is achieved.

MARITIME VISION IN THE TURKISH CENTURY

Dear participants, our vision for the Türkiye Century; It also expresses the goal of a Türkiye that is stronger on the seas, more competitive in maritime, and has a say on a global scale with its ports, shipyards and merchant fleet. Under the leadership of our President; We will continue to build Türkiye, which resolutely protects its rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Aegean and strengthens its maritime capacity in every field. With the strong cooperation we have established between our public institutions and our private sector and the knowledge, experience and knowledge of our maritime community, we will take our country much further in this field in the coming period.

I believe that the cooperation we will continue to develop in this field with friendly and brotherly countries will produce beneficial results for everyone. With these thoughts, we hope that the 5th Maritime Summit will be beneficial; I would like to thank all members of our Ministry who contributed to the organization of the Summit, especially our Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, our valuable speakers who contributed to the program, all representatives of our maritime industry and everyone who worked for the development of Turkish maritime. “I congratulate you once again on your Cabotage Day and greet you with love, respect and affection.”

“THE SCREEN USED FOR SYSTEM SETTINGS WILL NOT BE PENALIZED”

Regarding multimedia and smart screens, Çiftçi said, “No penalty will be applied to factory-made screens and screens used for navigation, parking support, interior and exterior cameras, recording devices and system settings.” he stated.

Regarding in-car audio systems, Minister Çiftçi said:

“It will be possible to use sound systems, subwoofers and amplifiers that comply with the specified technical standards. As long as the sound does not disturb the public peace by spilling out of the vehicle, no criminal action will be taken just because there is a sound system in the vehicle. In order to take action regarding the sound systems, it will be necessary to concretely detect and record that the sound is disturbing the peace of the environment by spilling outside the vehicle.”

Çiftçi stated that the use of individual audio and video devices placed on the seats or in suitable areas within the vehicle, which are available to passengers in buses and minibuses, will continue and said, “We will continue to work with an understanding that clarifies the rules, ensures unity in practice, protects the rights of our drivers and never compromises traffic safety.” he said.

Breaking News… Breaking News… Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan made important statements in a program he attended. Stating that Israel continues its aggression in the region and is looking for a new enemy, Minister Fidan said, “Israel is the common problem of all humanity.”

“THE POINT Türkiye HAS REACHED IS IMPORTANT”

Minister Fidan, who also made a statement about the NATO Summit, stated that Trump will attend the NATO summit and said, “This is important news for the NATO community. Moreover, Mr. Trump is participating in this because Mr. Erdoğan invited him. If it were not Mr. Erdoğan who invited him, he would not have attended. This has now become a great strategic equation. When you take into consideration today’s challenges, conflicts, troubles and slippage in the alliance, you see how big a role this equation plays. Here, our President’s global leadership vision, the relationship network he developed, the trust he created, the people he created.” “The prestige in his eyes and the point Türkiye has reached are important.”

DETAILS COMING…

“THE PLANNINGS WERE MADE TO MINIMUM AFFECT THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR CITIZENS”

Underlining that the measures taken are not arbitrary and that the highest level of coordination has been achieved in order not to negatively affect the daily lives of the citizens, Minister Çiftçi said, “Each application has been determined within the framework of international security standards, risk analyzes and the coordination of our relevant institutions. The meetings held under the chairmanship of our Ankara Governorship, our Ministry of Internal Affairs and our Vice President, Mr. Cevdet Yılmaz, have been various meetings. Plans have been made that will least affect the daily lives of our citizens, and all preparations have been completed to a large extent for the traffic flow to return to normal as soon as possible. “Our security units and relevant institutions work in the field with great coordination and sacrifice. Turkey is a country that has successfully hosted many international organizations to date and has received deserved appreciation for its safe organization capability. The NATO Leaders Summit will be held with the same understanding and state seriousness.” he said.

”PRECAUTIONS ARE BEING TAKEN FOR OUR COMMON SECURITY”

Emphasizing the importance of citizens’ common sense and touching upon the coordination mechanisms established for the summit, Minister Çiftçi said, “Hopefully, as a result of the measures we have taken, we aim to complete the NATO Leaders’ Summit without incident. The understanding and patience shown by our citizens will contribute to the successful completion of this important organization. I would like to thank our citizens for their understanding. I would like to take this opportunity to express that the measures taken are temporary measures and are implemented only for our common security.” he said.

“A COORDINATION CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR FOR THE SUMMIT”

Sharing information about the coordination centers established within the scope of the summit, Minister Çiftçi said, “A coordination center was established within the Ankara Governorship and our Ministry of Internal Affairs in order to hold the summit safely. Both our Ankara Governorship and our Ministry of Internal Affairs are following the issue closely and sensitively.” He made a statement.

“IN TOTAL, 56 THOUSAND 288 PERSONNEL WILL WORK”

Announcing the number of personnel who will work within the scope of the summit and the details of the geographical security circle, Minister of Internal Affairs Mustafa Çiftçi said, “A total of 56 thousand 288 personnel will work. 48 thousand 841 of them are our police personnel and 7 thousand 447 are the personnel of our Gendarmerie General Command. In addition, 4 thousand 405 teams or teams will take part within the scope of these measures. Our plans have been completed to ensure coordination with the road control search points in Ankara and with neighboring provinces. “Our measures are not limited to Ankara, there are also measures to be taken in the provinces surrounding Ankara. We even have measures planned in our third generation provinces as well,” he said.

PRECAUTIONS WILL BE TAKEN AT AIRPORTS AND ROUTINES

Sharing the personnel distribution on the Presidential Complex and transfer routes with figures, Minister Çiftçi said, “A total of 3 thousand 926 personnel will work on the route between Esenboğa and the Presidential Complex. 1,742 personnel will take part in the measures taken between the abandoned Ankara, the newly opened Ankara Airport and the Presidential Complex.” Minister Çiftçi stated that they will work on a 24-hour basis within the scope of the summit. “Our personnel, vehicles, equipment and canine elements have been assigned on a 24-hour basis to ensure that the necessary searches, screening, traffic and security checkpoints can be completed efficiently and in the minimum amount of time against possible incidents that may occur at three airports, the Presidential Complex, routes and hotels,” he said.

“THE PRECAUTIONS TAKEN ON THE STREETS WILL BE TAKEN IN THE CYBER WORLD”

Concluding his speech by stating that the security of the summit is not limited to the physical area only, the highest level measures have been put into effect in the digital dimension, Minister Çiftçi said, “Cyber ​​measures are also important for us. We carry out similar practices in the cyber world as we do on the streets. Our 7-24 virtual patrol activities continue in the cyber environment in order to fight against crime and criminals. A total of 639 extra personnel have been assigned for this. They also continue their virtual patrols.”

EVERY COUNTRY KEPT SECURITY MEASURES AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL

Minister Çiftçi noted that the extensive security measures taken for the summit hosted by Türkiye completely coincide with the practices in previous NATO meetings held in European countries. Emphasizing that the measures taken are at international standards, Çiftçi said, “The same security measures were taken in the Netherlands, where the previous meeting was held. In NATO strategic security meetings held in Europe, the measures have always been kept at the highest level. Therefore, we are not the only ones applying these high security procedures; all allied countries that hosted previous summits have similarly implemented security measures at the highest level.” he said.

ANNOUNCED THE ROADS TO BE CLOSED

At the meeting, Minister of Internal Affairs Mustafa Çiftçi listed the roads that will be closed during the NATO Leaders Summit as follows. Around the Presidential Complex – ATO Congresium, Presidential Boulevard, Alparslan Türkeş Street, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu Street, Bestepe Street, Söğütözü Street, Martyr Teacher Şenay Aybüke Yalçın Street and 2169 and 2170 streets will be closed to traffic. 286th Street and 350th Street will be closed around the Alegria Business Hotel. 173rd Street, 171st Street and 172nd Street will be closed around the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Chisinau Street, Jose Marti Street, 720th Street and 721st Street around Divan Hotel will be closed to traffic. Life Street, Adalet Street, 5th Street, Nergiz Street, 4th Street, 3rd Street and 1st Street will be closed around Wyndham Grand – Mercure – Mövenpick hotels. Tehran Street, Argentina Street, Iran Street, Poland Street, Şehit Ömer Haluk Sipahioğlu Street, Boğaz Street, Billur Street, Bülten Street and Güniz Street will be closed to traffic around HiltonSA – Sheraton – Lugal hotels. Around the InterContinental Hotel, the section of Atatürk Boulevard between John F. Kennedy Street and Esat Street and Gülözü Street will be closed. Ufuk University Avenue, 1443rd Street and 1452nd Street will be closed to traffic around the JW Marriott Hotel. Around the Metropolitan Hotel, 1377th Street, 1380th Street and 1381st Street and all roads connecting to them will be closed to traffic. There will be no restrictions on pedestrian crossings.

Minister Göktaş attended the Arnavutköy Anadolu Neighborhood Mass Opening and Groundbreaking Ceremony, where the Family Counseling Center, Family Health Center, kindergarten, parking lot and car wash facility, which were completed by Arnavutköy Municipality, were opened and the foundation of the Arnavutköy Art and Vocational Training Course (ASMEK) building was laid.

Stating that investments ranging from education to consultancy, from health to infrastructure, from vocational training to production will offer new opportunities to the social life of the district, Göktaş thanked Arnavutköy Mayor Mustafa Candaroğlu and his team who contributed to the implementation of the projects.

Stating that what makes a city valuable is not only its streets and buildings, but also how people are touched is important, Göktaş said, “The city where the child grows up safely, where the family finds a hand next to them, and where the elderly are remembered, becomes truly beautiful. Life becomes more peaceful and fruitful where the path for the young is paved and the labor of the woman is rewarded.” he said.

Stating that the work and service approach put forward by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is to expand cities with services that center people, make life easier and touch every household, Göktaş said that the investments that were opened and the foundations of which were laid in Arnavutköy are a concrete reflection of this approach.

“INVESTMENT IN A CHILD IS THE MOST VALUABLE INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY”

Emphasizing that the Arna Children’s Kindergarten, which was opened, is important in terms of providing children with quality education at an early age, Göktaş stated that here children will learn and develop through play, and will experience friendship, sharing and self-expression at an early age.

Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş said, “We know that investing in a child is the most valuable investment in the future of a country. I believe that our kindergarten will be a good start to the lives of many of our children.” he said.

Stating that the Family Counseling Center will be an important source of support for families, Göktaş said, “In this center, family, child and adolescent counseling, individual counseling, group therapies, training seminars and dietician services will be provided. It will enable our families to easily access the support they need, and will provide a safe environment where our children and young people can express themselves better and become stronger with the right guidance. The Family Health Center will connect our citizens with health services faster and easier with its modern infrastructure.” he said.

Stating that ASMEK, the foundation of which was laid, has a special importance for the district, Minister Göktaş explained that citizens will be offered the opportunity to acquire a profession through the trainings to be given at the center. Göktaş said, “Here, our brothers and sisters will gain new skills, turn their own labor into production, and contribute to the family economy. In this respect, ASMEK will offer important opportunities, especially for women and our youth.” he said.

Noting that the inaugurated parking lot and car wash facilities will make the daily life of citizens easier, Göktaş said that the steps taken today will contribute to the joy of children, the peace of families, the labor of young people and the future of Arnavutköy.

Emphasizing that, as the Ministry, they will continue to support every service that focuses on the family, Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş noted that they will strengthen cooperation with local governments and expand services that meet the needs of citizens of all ages.

“WE WILL LAY THE FOUNDATION OF THE DISABLED LIFE CENTER IN ARNAVUTKÖY SOON”

Explaining that new social service investments will be implemented in Arnavutköy, Göktaş said, “Hopefully, we will lay the foundations of an Accessible Life Center in Arnavutköy in a short time. Likewise, we will increase the number of nurseries. We will lay the foundations of our day children’s centers and child care centers for the 0-6 age group, which also appeal to 0-3 years old, in Arnavutköy soon.” he said.

Minister Göktaş also touched upon the “10 Years of Family and Population” vision and concluded his words as follows:

“We see all these services as permanent investments that strengthen people and society, and we greatly appreciate the efforts of our local governments in this direction. Because we know that family-friendly cities start with child-friendly places. They are strengthened with consultancy and guidance services. They come to life in centers where women, young people and citizens of all ages participate in production. The 10 Years of Family and Population will take this understanding further. The next 10 years will be the name of a new era that strengthens the family and brings our cities together with family-friendly services.”

Arnavutköy Mayor Candaroğlu stated that the municipality’s service approach is based on producing works and investing in the future of the district and said:

“We produce solutions, not excuses. We continue to add value to our Arnavutköy with a management approach that plans for the future, not the day. Of course, we implement all these services thanks to a strong state will and harmony between our institutions. We continue to resolutely contribute to the Turkey Century vision put forward under the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with our works, investments and services from our Arnavutköy.”

After the speeches, a prayer was made, Minister Göktaş and Mayor Candaroğlu cut the mass opening and groundbreaking ribbon with the children.