Haliç Shipyard

Haliç Shipyard
Name	Haliç Shipyard
Founded	2008
Location	Golden Horn, Istanbul, Turkey
Industry	Shipbuilding
Products	Warships, patrol boats, cargo vessels, offshore units
Owner	RMK Marine / Turkish Maritime
Employees	300–800

Haliç Shipyard is a Turkish shipbuilding and repair facility located on the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. The yard operates within Turkey's maritime cluster alongside major ports and naval bases, supplying naval, commercial, and offshore sectors. It is engaged in construction and maintenance activities connected to regional programs, procurement agencies, and international clients in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

History

The yard was founded in 2008 during a period of increased investment in Turkish shipyards and aligned with programs led by the Turkish Navy and the Turkish Defence Industry Agency. Its establishment coincided with modernization initiatives tied to the Turkish Naval Forces Command, the Presidency of Defense Industries, and procurement projects with firms such as ASELSAN, Roketsan, and Havelsan. Early contracts involved partnerships with state-owned enterprises like Türkiye Denizcilik İşletmeleri and private firms including Koç Holding affiliates and Kılıç Holding. The shipyard grew as part of a broader expansion that included yards on the Bosphorus, the Tuzla Shipyards Zone, and the Yalova facilities, interacting with trade hubs such as Haydarpaşa Port and Ambarlı Port. Over its first decade it engaged with international classification societies such as Lloyd’s Register and Bureau Veritas while responding to regional demand from nations including Azerbaijan, Qatar, and Libya.

Facilities and Infrastructure

The facility occupies slipways and a fabrication hall on the Golden Horn, proximate to historic shipbuilding areas near Eminönü and Eyüp. It features floating docks, a synchrolift, and covered assembly sheds suited to steel cutting, CNC plate profiling, and modular outfitting, comparable to equipment at Pendik and Tuzla yards. Auxiliary infrastructure supports propulsion testing, including diesel engine test beds compatible with suppliers such as MTU, MAN, and Wärtsilä, and integrates systems from naval electronics firms like Aselsan, Havelsan, and STM. Material logistics connect the yard to logistics operators such as Yilport and DP World Turkey, and the site maintains relationships with classification societies including DNV and RINA for plan approval and sea trials.

Products and Services

The shipyard builds fast patrol craft, offshore service vessels, landing craft, and small amphibious units, and offers repair, retrofit, and conversion services. It supplies combatant service modules, bridge systems, and weapons integration work in collaboration with defense primes including BMC, Otokar, and FNSS, and undertakes refit work incorporating systems from Leonardo, Thales, and Raytheon. Commercial activity includes construction of coastal ferries, bunkering barges, and special-purpose pontoons for companies such as Akfen, Limak, and Sefine Shipyard customers. The yard also provides maintenance contracts for cruise tenders operating out of Istanbul terminals like Galataport and cruise lines such as MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises.

Notable Projects and Vessels

Projects include construction of fast attack craft and patrol boats delivered to regional coast guard agencies and private security firms, with platforms employing engines from Caterpillar and transmissions from ZF. Noteworthy deliveries linked the yard to multinational programs involving the Black Sea Fleet, the Romanian Naval Forces, and the Algerian Navy through subcontracted outfitting for larger shipbuilders like STM and Sedef Shipyard. The yard also participated in the manufacture of amphibious support barges and pilot vessels serving Bosphorus pilots and Istanbul Port Authority operations, and performed mid-life upgrades on riverine and offshore units for BP and Shell contractors. Collaborations with Damen Shipyards and Abu Dhabi MAR occurred at the level of component supply and systems integration.

Ownership and Management

The ownership structure involved Turkish private investors and maritime holding companies with ties to shipbuilding groups in Tuzla and Yalova, operating alongside partnerships with state entities such as the Turkish Maritime Organization and Turkish Naval Shipyards Command. Management teams typically include executives with backgrounds at RMK Marine, Sedef Shipyard, and Istanbul Technical University alumni, and employ naval architects trained at universities like ITU, Yıldız Technical University, and Kocaeli University. Strategic alliances were formed with international maritime consultancies and legal advisers dealing with classification and export licensing, and with finance partners including Halkbank and Türkiye İş Bankası for vessel financing.

Economic and Regional Impact

The shipyard contributes to employment in Istanbul and the Marmara Region and is integrated into supply chains spanning steel mills in Ereğli, pipe manufacturers such as Borusan Mannesmann, and electronics suppliers across Antalya and Izmir. Its activities bolster Turkey’s shipbuilding export performance alongside national leaders like Sedef Shipyard, RMK Marine, and Taşkızak Shipyard, and support defense industrialization objectives promoted by the Presidency of Defence Industries. The yard’s operations affect maritime services providers including Sefine Shipyard subcontractors, tug operators like Akıntı Denizcilik, and classification-led insurance markets involving firms such as Allianz and AXA. Its strategic position on the Golden Horn links it to urban regeneration projects, navigation authorities like the Directorate General of Coastal Safety, and heritage maritime sites such as the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts and the Naval Museum.

Category:Shipyards of Turkey Category:Buildings and structures in Istanbul Category:Shipbuilding companies of Turkey