New port facilities have been built following large investments made entirely by the private sector on Turkish coast and thus saving the state significant resources since 1987 when the permission was given to private piers to serve third-party cargo. As a result of increasing service quality and density reduction in the regions where private portsare involved, large compensations paid to foreign ship owners due to ship delays have been eliminated.

The Port Operators Association (MARLİM) was established in 1996 in order to find solutions to the sectoral problems of the private sector port and pier operators, whose numbers and capacities have been increasing throughout the period up to the present day, in a common platform and to provide solidarity. Our association member structure, which the piers and terminals in the Gulf of Izmit formed the majority when it was first formed, later spread all over the Marmara Sea with the participation of the ports and organizations in Gemlik and Ambarlı. Our association which reached its membershiptarget in the Marmara Region changed its borders to Port Operators in all the coasts of Turkey and has moved its headquarters to Istanbul. Our association’s area of activity has covered all the coasts of Turkey with this development and participation of Private Sector Port Operators in other regions.

The name of our association changed from “Port Operators Association” to “Port Operators Association of Turkey” and its acronym changed from “MARLIM” to “TURKLIM” as the application to put Turkey in front of the association name and to change its acronym to TURKLIM due to importance of the organizations, which it represented, in the national economy and our association operation in whole of Turkey was deemed appropriate. Port Operators Association of Turkey is the only association operating in the field.

Port management is a multidimensional business; which makes it compulsory to work in coordination with many institutions. Within this structure, our association provides the flow of information between our member ports, which form the majority of the Port Operators of Turkey, and relevant government units as well as sector organizations abroad together with contributing to operation of port operators in accordance with current legislation and in an effective manner. Our association, which represents private port operators from variousregions of Turkey, serves as a reference-accreditation institution.

TÜRKLİM, an active member of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) and the Federation of Sectoral Associations (SEDEFED), closely follows the developments regarding the European Union and informs the member ports of the association.

Port operations are one of the most important elements of the maritime sector as the main purpose of freight and passenger transport begins and ends at ports. Therefore, our association performs tasks such as contributing to the development of port management, which becomes more and more important in our national economy, assisting the establishment of a cooperation among our ports that will become competitive with Mediterranean – European – Middle Eastern ports, becoming an international organization, providing coordination between all sector relevant public institutions and port operators and forming opinions.

TÜRKLİM has initiated studies to establish Port Vocational Standards since 2008 with starting work to become an organization that directs its sector, trains and certificates its employees. It carried out a EU grant project named “”Vocational Qualifications Authority in Turkey ( VQA) and Strengthening the National Qualification System” initiated by Central Finance and Contracts Unit of Ministry of Treasury and Finance and funded by European Union. “TÜRKLIM KARIYER-PORT: Establishment of Vocational Qualification and Personnel Certification Center Project” was prepared for this purpose and at the end of the evaluation, our association was approved and started the project by signing contract with the Central Finance Tender Unit on 23.03.2011. Vocational Qualification and Personnel Certification Center has been established in our association’s new office at the end of the project and has begun to operate following Turkish Accreditation Agency accreditation. A total of 7.500 personnel have been certified in the sector so far.

As of 2020, 68% of general and dry cargo in Turkey; 100% of the liquid chemical cargo; 96% of containers handled; 96% of container; %89 of automotive forein trade have been carried out by TURKLİM member ports. Member numbers of the association, which represents 69 port operators from various regions of Turkey, continue to increase every year.