New marina under construction in Çeşme

Çeşme, a coastal town near the Aegean port city of İzmir, is about to get a new marina. A groundbreaking ceremony took place for the Çeşme Marina, which was rented by IC Holding and Camper & Nicholsons, a United Kingdom-based marine company.

The marina was rented for 25 years under the build-operate-transfer model in 2006. Once complete, the marina, which will require a total investment of 62 million Turkish Liras, will have the capacity to serve 500 yachts. Designed with consideration for Çeşme’s architectural structure and historical texture, the marina is expected to open in May 2010.

Speaking at the ceremony, Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım said the marina industry in Turkey is very much open to development. “Only three countries, France, Spain and Italy, are able to benefit from 85 percent of the marina industry in Mediterranean. We, as the Ministry of Transport, aim to increase the yacht capacity of marinas in Turkey to 50,000 by the year 2023. This figure will raise our share to 10 percent in the Mediterranean.” Yıldırım said, adding that with the completion of the eight to 10 marinas currently under construction, Turkey’s yacht capacity will reach 25,000.

The Çeşme Marina will begin to operate in about six months, said İbrahim Çeçen, chairman of IC Holding. The marina, which will cover 34,500 square meters, will be able to host yachts up to 60 meters long and will have capacity for 375 yachts. Owners of some 100 yachts will be able to tie their boats to the land. The marina will also provide technical support and service units for the yachters’ comfort.

Speaking to Hürriyet.com.tr, Serhat Çeçen, board member of IC Holding and the Çeşme Marina, said they would continue to invest in marinas, airports and cargo ports as their main domains.

Noting that in most of the projects IC Holding prefers to work with a foreign partner, Çeçen said. “We have both local and foreign partners in different sectors. We will continue to invest with Fraport, a German-based leading company, in the airport business; with Camper & Nicholsons in the marina business; and with AES, a global power company, in the energy sector.”

Despite the economic crisis, the company has not experienced financial difficulty, said Çeçen, adding that they will keep investing as long as they can secure the financing.

Noting that they have signed an agreement with İşbank, Turkey's biggest publicly trading bank, Çeçen said, “We are drawing a 10 million euro loan. We will cover the remaining 2 million euros from our own capital.”

Founded in 1782, Camper & Nicholsons is a leading firm in all luxury yachting activities, specializing in the sale, purchase, charter, marketing, management and construction of the finest yachts in the world.