The tender for the privatization of Derince Port for 39 years has completed last week. Safi Kati Yakit has got the tender for USD 543 million.

Derince Port is one of the most important ones in region with large storage area, strong railway connection and being close to industrial areas. Since private ports are generally giving service for containers and liquid, there are not many alternatives for bulk loads other than Derince Port. Derince Port is also stop for car carriers.

Derince Port is built on 422k sqm with 8 berths. 5 of them is actively used. Vessels upto 250m can use the port. There are two rail ferry ramps within the port. One is used by Tekirdag-Derince ferry, and connects Asia to Europe by rail. Other is used for ferry connecting Turkey to Russia and CIS countries by rail.

Even with the current area, Derince Port is the largest port in region. It’s also known that the port has right to double its area with the last changes in city plan and build new berths to accept very large vessels.

There are facilities of TCDD and TMO (Governmental Crop Office) within the port. A part of the port area is told to be separated from port for the usage of TCDD after privatization.

Safi Kati Yakit, is a group company of Safi Holding which is also dealing with estate, food and maritime. It is the distributor of Russian Krutrade AG coal company and importing 1 million ton annually to Turkey.

Derince Port was privatized in 2007 and cancelled by the court. Last year, the tender process restarted, but cancelled this time by Privatization Office because of insufficient offers. For the last tender done last week, three companies had offered. Other two companies were Kumport and Yilport.