The Maritime Transport
Workshop, organized as part of the Istanbul SUMP (Sustainable Urban Mobility
Plan) Stage II – Implementation Plan Project led by Istanbul Metropolitan
Municipality, was held on 9 September 2026 at DoubleTree by Hilton
Istanbul–Gayrettepe.
The workshop, where
stakeholders jointly discussed initiatives and proposals aimed at increasing
the share of maritime transport in Istanbul, opened with remarks by Melda
Horoz, Head of the IMM Transport Planning Department.
The first session,
titled “Giving Maritime Transport a Greater Role in Istanbul’s Transport
Network,” addressed the current state of maritime transport and ongoing efforts
to develop it.
During the session titled “Accessible Ferry Piers for All,” Dila
Babaoğlu delivered a presentation on the accessibility projects developed
for the Üsküdar, Kabataş, Karaköy, Sütlüce and Bostancı ferry piers and recommendations for their implementation.
Participants shared their assessments on improving access to ferry piers in
line with the needs of different users.
In the session titled
“New Transport Routes Strengthening Connections by Sea,” Assoc. Prof. Dr.
Bekir Bartın and Yiğitcan Altan presented the selection criteria and
feasibility studies for potential new maritime transport routes in Istanbul.
Throughout the
workshop sessions, participants were invited to contribute to the discussions.
Experts and stakeholders shared their views and recommendations on accessible
ferry piers, new transport routes and strengthening the integration of maritime
transport with other modes of transport.
The workshop concluded
with a closing forum where the presented work and participants’ assessments
were reviewed.