Ro-Ro Usage on the Rise in International Freight Transport

Ro-Ro Usage Growing in International Freight Transport Ro-Ro usage is becoming more common in Turkey's import-export transportation. Last year, approximately 17 percent of loaded vehicles carrying export-import cargo utilized Ro-Ro services. Engin Kırcı, Founding Partner of Ares Logistics, stated that Ro-Ro vessels, which they use extensively in European and North African shipments, offer significant advantages in terms of timely delivery and contribute substantially to growing international trade volumes. Turkey, surrounded by sea on three sides, is experiencing increased use of Ro-Ro in international freight transport. According to Central Bank data, last year 1 million 932 thousand 722 domestically and foreign-owned vehicles carried export cargo and 771 thousand 897 vehicles carried import cargo, of which 467 thousand 458 utilized Ro-Ro vessels. Thus, Ro-Ro usage in vehicles carrying export-import cargo reached 17.3 percent last year. "Ro-Ro vessels have facilitated transport to Central and Western Europe" Engin Kırcı, Founding Partner of Ares Logistics, which operates one of Turkey's largest privately-owned truck fleets and extensively uses Ro-Ro vessels in its shipments, stated that freight transportation via Ro-Ro provided significant advantages to Turkish exporters and the logistics sector during the pandemic period. Recalling that global trade faced serious obstacles due to the outbreak, Kırcı said: "Thanks to Turkey's logistics advantages, our exporters gained a step ahead particularly in sectors where they compete with Far Eastern countries. One reason for this was also the ease of reaching Europe and target markets through Ro-Ro transportation. Especially when queues at borders became difficult to overcome with increased exports, the advantages of Ro-Ro made reaching Central and Western Europe much easier for us." "Ro-Ro and Multimodal Transport Will Accelerate Compliance with the Green Deal" Kırcı explained that they use Ro-Ro services in 78 percent of their shipments, emphasizing that Ro-Ro freight transport reduces carbon emissions. Kırcı said, "In today's environment where compliance efforts with the European Green Deal are accelerating, Ro-Ro usage and multimodal transport are becoming increasingly important."   "We are increasing Ro-Ro usage on European and Mediterranean routes" Kırcı stated that as a company they use the Ro-Ro route intensively, particularly in shipments between Mediterranean countries and Turkey, noting that they travel from Yalova to Sete Port in France or from Izmir to Tarragona Port in Spain, and subsequently reach Spain, France, Portugal, Morocco and Tunisia.