TRNC Chamber of Commerce warns of damage caused by trucks idling on the Mersin–Famagusta route

Omaç Cin, a board member of the Cyprus Turkish Chamber of Commerce, said that trucks and containers idling on the Mersin–Famagusta sea route following the Filo Jet ferry disaster are harming the TRNC economy.

In his assessment, the problems in maritime transport have reached a point where they could directly affect trade flows along this route. Mersin–Famagusta remains the main sea freight corridor between Turkey and Northern Cyprus.

“The country also has trade flows. The trucks and containers standing on the Mersin–Famagusta route are harming our country’s economy. This needs to be resolved,” Cin said.

He stressed that the disaster should not be viewed solely through the lens of loss of life and transport safety: its consequences must also be assessed in terms of the country’s supply chains and trade flows.

Cin added that inspections following the sinking should not be limited to maritime transport: all vehicles carrying people and cargo must be systematically monitored. He specifically pointed to commercial and work vehicles on the roads, for which the age limit is higher — according to him, some categories of vehicles have a service life of up to 20 years.

The Filo Jet ferry disaster remains the main topic in the TRNC: the Assembly has established a committee to investigate the incident, while earlier Parliament read out a motion calling for the removal of Transport Minister Erhan Arıklı.