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by David Couliau

A massive terminal

Istanbul has changed extensively in the past five years. New modern buildings have popped up all over the city which seems to be booming just like its brand new Yalova Roro Terminal.

Run by EKOL, a huge Turkish logistics company, this terminal on the shore of the Marmara Sea, a few kilometers east of Istanbul, has only been in operation since 2017 but the activity here is as massive as its giant entrance gates. At the beginning of the day, the terminal is completely empty but, as the day goes on, it progressively fills up with containers and trailers that are almost instantly taken away by trucks.

Speedy customs

Every load goes through a full inspection: scanner, passport and immigration check. The TIR system represents about 10% of the overall traffic and other similar systems also lend a hand to help speed up the customs process for everyone involved.

The efficiency of Turkey¡¯s new customs procedures is truly as impressive as the terminal¡¯s modern architecture.