PROBLEMS OF TRANSPORT SYSTEMS SERVING FOR EUROPE-MIDDLE EAST TRADES WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EU TRANSPORT POLICY AND SOLUTION PROPOSALS

Problems of transport systems serving for Europe-Middle East trades within the framework of EU transport policy and solution proposals

B. Koldemir, S. Özen, N. Akten

I.U. Engineering Faculty Department of Maritime Tranportation and Management Engineering Avcılar Campus Avcılar, İstanbul, TURKEY

Abstract

This paper is based on the 100/15052003 numbered project of “Efficiency and Added Value Problems of the transportation systems serving for Europe-Middle East transportation lines within the framework of EU” supported by Istanbul University Rectorate The Executive Secreteriat of Scientific Research Projects. Investment and operational standards should be justified in such a way that loss of waiting time and cost increase due to insufficient capacity of sub-transport modes as well as the sum of loss and cost of idle time be minimum or economical. Development and expansion of transport sector and transport modes in Turkey should be taken up and organized in conjunction with socio-economic, macro-economic approaches and ongoing foreign trade relations.  Hence, utmost importance and priority is given to productivity of the basic production systems and foreign trade relations as the productivity of the transport sector and systems are primarily dependent upon the other basic and production systems. It is also relevant to stress further that the attention is paid to means and facilities in the field of transport, production and foreign trade of neighbouring countries, Balkan countries, as well as the states of Caucasus, Black Sea, Middle East, Middle Asia and European Community. It is of utmost importance to inaugurate (liner) combined transport services between Turkish and the Black Sea ports within the TRACECA framework. Such an economic activity will certainly necessitate the harmonization and renewal of merchant fleet. Projects to improve and better up reliable and sustainable macroeconomic and trade relations with the countries of the Middle Asia and Middle East regions, and the Black Sea Rim and matching with the macroeconomic structure of Turkey will likely grant a possibility to attract further attention and strengthen relations with the EU.  Those countries should pay attention to eliminate bottlenecks and insufficiencies built up due to insufficient capacity of current passenger and cargo transport routes.

Keywords: EU, transport, Policy, planning, demand, transport systems