Erdoğan reveals 2053 ‘Transport and Logistics Master Plan’

Turkey will become a regional logistic hub, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on April 12, while revealing a "Transport and Logistics Master Plan" for 2053, which also includes the Canal Istanbul.

"Turkey is advancing on the path to becoming the logistics superpower of a vast geography stretching from London to Beijing and from Siberia to South Africa," Erdoğan said, speaking at a press conference after a cabinet meeting.

The Europe-Asia-Africa trade triangle, in which Turkey is located, offers great opportunities for the country, especially in the field of transportation, Erdoğan stated.

The government has accelerated its investments to get the biggest possible share of the potential that will emerge in other countries, he said, recalling that the U.S. is planning 2 trillion dollars' worth of infrastructure investment, whereas China is planning 559 billion dollars worth of infrastructure investment.

Turkey, for its part, has already made "great progress" in this area by making 172 billion dollars worth of investment in five main sectors between 2003 and the end of 2021, he stated.

The railway investments have come to the fore of the government plans, and they plan to expand the railway network to 28,590 kilometers by 2053, the president said. The government aims to increase the share of railways in passenger transportation from 1 percent to 6.2 percent, which is above the European average, Erdoğan stated.

His government also aims to improve the road service quality with new investments in a bid to provide more uninterrupted and comfortable transportation, Erdoğan said, adding Turkey would increase the divided road network from 28,650 kilometers to 38,000 kilometers and the highway network from 3,633 kilometers to 8,325...