Maritime transport policy making process in Turkey and strategic analyses

Due to its nature, maritime transport is in the area of regional and national, as well as international and supranational policy. When viewed in terms of maritime environment, several variable factors affect maritime transport and relevant policies. In today?s world where technology renovates itself very fast, political events affect trade markets, major economic mergers and alliances are experienced due to competition, social and cultural mobility increases, environment sensitivity is developed and legal obligations and rules are standardized, making policies and strategic decisions in maritime transport has become even more complicated.This study takes into consideration the literature in maritime transport and policy-making process. Its aim is to provide suggestions in future maritime transport policies by examining Turkish maritime transport related policies and the variables in the process for making such policies with strategic analysis from the viewpoint of experts.Literature survey, observation and a short questionnaire were the methods which constituted the preliminary work applied for determining the variables of this study. A conceptual model were developed as a result of the information get from this preliminary work and policy making variables for maritime transport were determined with content analysis method. In line with literature search and determined variables, structured face-to-face interview form was developed as the data collection tool; comments of elite experts in the field of maritime transport policy were collected during the interviews held based on this form. Data obtained from the sample group of the research were evaluated and strategic analyses were conducted. Findings of the study include the factors that affect maritime transport policy making process in Turkey and evaluations from the results of strategic analyses.