Although the new tender announcement largely overlaps with the previous one in terms of technical and financial conditions, the date changes and the lack of an explanation for the cancellation have caused serious question marks in the sector.
Updates to the Tender Calendar
With the new announcement, the application and document opening dates have been postponed. While this change is interpreted by sector representatives as an “extension of the preparation period,” some circles point to the uncertainty of the process.
Process – Previous Date – New Date
Final Application – 1 July 2025 – 13 October 2025 – 15:00
Document Opening – 3 July 2025- 15 October 2025 – 10:00
The tender document fee remained fixed at 50,000 TL, and the provisional guarantee amount at 17,814,000 TL. The tender method will again be applied as bargaining + open auction starting from a 40% public share.
Cancellation Reason: The Silence Worries the Sector
The Ministry did not make any official statement regarding why the previous tender was cancelled. This situation has led to discussions of different scenarios in the sector:
Legal objections: Some stakeholders suggest that objections to the tender specifications led to the cancellation.
Insufficient applications: Claims that sufficient applications were not received due to narrow participation conditions are also on the agenda.
Strategic revision: It is rumored that the Ministry is in the process of restructuring regional service areas and therefore extended the calendar.
However, the failure to provide an official reason is causing criticism in terms of transparency. Especially in pilotage activities, which are of a public service nature, such uncertainties can damage sector confidence.
Regional Tender Dynamics: Why is Kocaeli-1 Important?
The Kocaeli-1 area is located in the eastern Marmara Sea and serves the ports where Turkey’s largest industrial establishments are located. This region:
Hosts high-tonnage ship traffic
Has strategic importance due to its proximity to critical logistics and energy infrastructures
The safety of pilotage services directly affects environmental and economic risks
Therefore, conducting the tender process transparently and competitively is of great importance not only for service quality but also for the public interest.
Public Share and Sustainability Debates
Considering that public share rates could reach up to 95% in previous tenders, similar competition is expected in the new process. However, this situation also brings sustainability problems for some companies. High public share rates:
Can risk service quality
Can complicate long-term investment plans
Can increase price-focused competition in the sector, pushing technical competency into the background
Therefore, the new tender needs to be monitored carefully not only financially but also in terms of operational sustainability.
Conclusion and Expectations
The re-opening of the Kocaeli-1 tender has created both hope and a cautious wait in the sector. How the process is managed will be a topic closely followed by the maritime sector, as much as the outcome of the tender. The Ministry providing clearer explanations in the coming days regarding the cancellation reason and the regional tender calendar is critically important for sector confidence.
