Analysing of the effect of Canal Istanbul Project on regional maritime transportation by SWOT Analysis

Since the Turkish Straits have a feature that connects East and West, it has a strategic position from past to present. The Bosphorus plays an important role in world trade by countries with and without a black sea coast. Although around 3000 ships pass through the Turkish Straits after the Montreux Straits Convention, the increasing traffic and trade conditions, the number of ships, the height and width of the ships have increased and the traffic in the straits has increased. The long waiting times of the ships passing through the straits caused by the increase in the traffic of the ship will cause the disruption of the world trade. Increasing trade conditions also bring with it another important problem for the straits. These dangers arise from the increase in the passage of ships carrying dangerous goods. In a possible accident, it is considered as affecting the safety of the straits and the negative effects of the accident on the environment. In order to minimize these threats and to alleviate the traffic of ships, an opinion has emerged that an alternative waterway route should be planned for Istanbul and the Kanal Istanbul Project was brought to the Turkey's agenda. In this study, the opportunities, threats, and strengths and weaknesses of this project, which are discussed today, were investigated by SWOT analysis and its effect on regional maritime transport was investigated. As a result of the findings, evaluations were made and suggestions were made.