Antalya Port has increased block marble exports by 143% in the last 8 years and reached 1.623.320 tons in the traded amount of natural stone in 2018. 41.6% of natural stone exports to China, the biggest buyer of marble blocks from Turkish market, in 2018 were shipped from the Port of Antalya.
Within the scope of efforts to improve the marble exportation of the Mediterranean Region, Antalya Port officials came together with the companies that export the highest amount of marble. The participants of the meeting hosted by Antalya Port – Port Akdeniz General Manager Mr. Özgür Sert at Akra Barut Hotel were the representatives of İmsa Marble, İltaş Mining, Onur Marble, Antalya Marble, Sekamar, Dali Mining, Stone Library, Tema Marble, Dünya Stone, Varollar Transport, Olimar Mining and Antalya Port Unit Managers. At the meeting where the details of marble exports were discussed, the opinions of company managers were taken in order to develop the process.
An export port with 89% share
Providing general information about Global Ports Holding, Port Akdeniz General Manager Özgür Sert, said: “When we look at the export and import ratios of our port by container, we see that, 87% of trading realized were exports, while the rate of imports was 13% in 2017. In 2018, these figures were realized as 89% exports and 11% imports in 2018.
85% of the container exports made from the port are marble
Özgür Sert, giving some details about the (Teu) ratio of container export loads realized in Antalya Port in 2018 said: “85% of the exports realized in the port were marble (% 80 block and % 5 pallette). In 2018, % 74 of the total marble exports were shipped to China. The remaining part was shipped to the following countries in given ratios: 5% to India, 3% to USA, 3% to Canada, 1% to Panama, 1% to United Arab Emirates, 1% to Saudi Arabia, 1% to Brazil, 1% to Algeria, 1% to Indonesia and 9 % to other countries.
Featured cities in block marble export to China
Özgür Sert said: “Block marbles exported to China are obtained from two main regions in Turkey. One of these regions consists of Burdur, Antalya and Isparta cities, where 523 licensed mining fields are located. In the second region, consisting of Afyonkarahisar, Muğla, Denizli, Konya and Karaman there are 462 licensed fields.
“Marble export is supported with the privileges and advantages offered “
Özgür Sert gave the following information about the privileges of Antalya Port: The Port offers ‘Fillling – Discharging ‘,’ Storage’, ’Chocking‘, ‘Wire Rope Fixing ‘, ‘Marble Cutting‘, ‘Block Marble Marking‘, ‘Single Weighing‘, ’Washing’, ‘Photographing’ and ‘DBA’ services. The port, which provides 45 days of free storage, also facilitates additional internal filling and unloading operations caused by excessive Payload. There are also specially designed apparatus for sized marble fillings and block rotating / standing apparatus as well as the stone cutting services provided in Antalya Port. In the port, the automatic marble size measurement system enables fast and sensitive 3D measurement of every size and shape of marble. The port offers advanced privileges such as following the tonnage of marble loads stored and getting the data about the verified gross weights (DBA) of containers online, via the developed IT infrastructure and software of the Port.