The operation of the Turkish port was interrupted, and the container collapsed in the yard and a fire broke out.
According to the British Guardian report on the 6th, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit southern Turkey in the early morning of the same day, killing more than 3,800 people in Turkey and Syria so far. The death toll from the earthquake could rise to more than 20,000, said Smallwood, a senior emergency affairs officer in the WHO European region. In addition, the internationally renowned shipping media Lloyd’s List reported that the earthquake disrupted port operations in southeastern Turkey and parts of the Mediterranean coast, and a large number of containers in Iskenderun Port collapsed and were damaged.
According to eyewitnesses and videos, after the earthquake, a container collapsed at Iskenderun Port, Turkey’s largest port in the southern part of Hatay Province on the eastern Mediterranean coast, causing a serious fire. Black smoke floated high into the air. CCTV News reported on February 6 that at around 17:00 local time on February 6, the container in the yard of Iskenderun Port in Turkey overturned and caught fire due to unknown reasons. Firefighters from the port management department have rushed to the scene to carry out firefighting operations. At present, the official has not yet issued a report on casualties and property damage. Ocean infrastructure was also damaged following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in southern Turkey. Parts of the port terminal were damaged by the quake, and photos showed a large number of containers collapsing.
In addition, operations at the Ceyhan oil terminal in Turkey have ceased. Turkey has stopped oil shipments to the Ceyhan export terminal on the Mediterranean coast as a precautionary measure following the devastating earthquake, according to an official. Pipeline operator Botas made the decision on Monday morning following the earthquake in eastern Turkey. The official said no leaks were found in the oil supply pipeline to the port. Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said the strong earthquake had caused severe damage to the country’s energy infrastructure. Infrastructure in Kahramanmaras province has been particularly affected. On February 6, Maersk issued a notice about the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The strong quake caused severe damage to logistics and transport infrastructure near the epicenter of Pazarcik in Kahramanmaras province, including the port of Iskenderun, the company said.
The port structure was severely damaged and all operations have been completely halted until further notice. Roads are also badly affected and suppliers are currently not operating any trucks in or around the area. Maersk said that considering the situation in Iskenderun, it needs to make a destination change for all bookings going to this port or already in transit at sea. The current plan is to transfer containers to nearby hubs where feasible or to call the transshipment port. All booking cancellations, amendments, and changes of destination in the Iskenderun and Mersin ports will be free of charge during February. Maersk stated that it is not yet clear when Iskenderun Port will resume normal operations and will notify you in time once more information is known.
In the past two years, many emergencies have occurred. The shipper still needs to keep up with the news, adjust the plan in time, and have a plan for the future.
