SAMSİAD proposes Black Sea trade and logistics security summit in Samsun

Süleyman Ferşat Eldemir, President of the Samsun Industrialists and Businessmen Association (SAMSİAD), has proposed hosting an international ‘Black Sea Trade and Logistics Security Summit’ in Samsun, Turkey. The initiative aims to address growing security, logistics, energy, food, and environmental risks in the Black Sea region resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war.

Eldemir suggested that the summit should include Black Sea coastal nations, the United Nations, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the European Union, the World Bank, the EBRD, and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), alongside port operators, shipowners, and insurance companies. The goal is to establish common solution mechanisms and ensure the sustainability of regional trade without assigning blame to specific countries.

Data from the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping indicates significant maritime congestion, with approximately 100 ships waiting in Black Sea ports, shipyards, and anchorages as of August 2026. Of these, roughly 35 are located in the Samsun anchorage area and 22 in Sinop. Eldemir warned that the crisis extends beyond vessel attacks to include risks involving evacuated crews, damaged ships, and potential threats to coastal environments and global supply chains.