Hands Across the Bosphorus
01 Sep 2005
Since men first went down to the sea in ships the Bosphorus has been a conduit for trade in the known world - a meeting place for East and West where, for centuries, merchant arrangements have eased the movement of goods from one side of the globe to the other. Today, the Golden Horn continues to attract the same level of attention – even in the provision of the specialised vessels required to maintain this activity.
Part of the vibrant commercial scene in modern Turkey and following on in the region’s tradition of international trade is Corus Celik Ticaret. The business is currently keeping an eagle eye on the progress of a supply contract for stainless steel for use in the construction of eight 2000m3 tanks for a chemical tanker being built at a major local shipyard. That the ship owner Seatrans is Norwegian, the stainless steel supplier is Swedish mill Outukumpu, and the supply contract is managed by the Istanbul office of an international organisation with its headquarters in London is nothing new to the Turks. Their yards are doing good business in shipbuilding and repair with flag carriers from across the world and are looking to international materials suppliers for quality and reliability of product and service.
The project in hand involves the supply of 165 tonnes of Avesta 2205 stainless steel from the Degerfors mill of Outokumpu in Sweden for the tanks of the Seatrans ship now being built by one of the oldest shipyards in Turkey, Gemak. The yard is located in the Tuzla suburb of Istanbul, north east of the Sea of Marmara at the entrance to the Bosphorus. Deliveries commenced in June and are due for completion in August.
