Spanning a 1.2km coastline along the Bosphorus, Galataport İstanbul, which features the world’s first underground cruise ship terminal and revitalizes one of the most prominent historical districts of the city, added another award to its roster of accolades. Galataport İstanbul won “Port of the Year” category at the 2022 Seatrade Cruise Awards, held during Seatrade Cruise Med, the premier cruise trade event held on September 14 – 15 in Málaga, Spain. Galataport İstanbul’s innovative approach and innovations applied to operational processes, globally regarded as exemplary, were some of the factors that brought home the prestigious award for which many ports, including major US and UK ports competed. 

The star of the Seatrade Cruise Med event: Galataport İstanbul 

Galataport İstanbul was received with great interest at Seatrade Cruise Global, the leading event of the cruise industry, held in Miami, USA in April 2022, and then at Seatrade Cruise Med, the European leg of the event held in Malaga, Spain on September 14-15, 2022. During Seatrade Cruise Med, which brought together more than 2,000 participants from 70 countries, Galataport İstanbul’s Port Management participated in several sessions and meetings, engaging with the top industry players. 

Figen Ayan, the President of MedCruise Association and Chief Port Officer at Galataport İstanbul, 

commented on the Seatrade Cruise Med event and winning the award: “Galataport İstanbul has operated at full capacity since October 2021, hosting cruise ships and guests. In April, we participated in the Seatrade Cruise Global event, which brought together the key representatives of the global cruise industry. We were also received with great interest during the sessions we attended and the meetings we hosted at Seatrade Cruise Med, the European leg of the event. Bringing home the ‘Port of the Year’ title from the Seatrade Cruise Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in the industry, one year after we launched our operations makes us proud. At Galataport İstanbul, we are thrilled to see that our cutting-edge innovations and the newness we bring to the operational processes are recognized with international awards.” 

Standing out in the industry with the world’s first underground cruise ship terminal and operational innovations 

The world’s first underground cruise ship terminal, inspired by the underground cisterns in İstanbul and the winner of Red Dot design award, is among Galataport İstanbul’s most striking features. When a cruise ship docks at the port, a special system of 176 high hatches is activated, creating a temporary customs (ISPS) area. The fact that the hatches can be individually controlled provides flexibility in terms of creating an ISPS area based on the number of ships at the port and their lengths. This innovation converts the unique waterfront in Karaköy, which has been closed to public access since the late 19th century, into one of the city’s best promenades. Except for the berthing area separated by the hatches, the coastline remains freely accessible for the visitors. 

The terminal, spread on 29,000 sqm, where three cruise ships can berth at a time, has a daily capacity to host 15,000 passengers. Galataport İstanbul is expected to host nearly 150 ships and 450,000 passengers, including crew, by the end of 2022. Starting from next year, the number of cruise passengers, including crew, is anticipated to rise to 1.5 million annually. Positioned as a ‘home port,’ Galataport İstanbul will energize cruise tourism across a wide geography from the Mediterranean basin to the Black Sea, contributing to the national and regional economy. 

Above all, Galataport İstanbul is also a sustainability project. By integrating the historical port into the city with a major investment, Galataport İstanbul makes a significant contribution to social and economic sustainability. Galataport İstanbul, the second largest project in Europe to receive LEED Platinum certification, stands out with its efforts to achieve environmental sustainability, from a special cooling system to waste management. In 2021, MedCruise, the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports, recognized Galataport İstanbul with the “Environmental Responsibility Award” for developing environment friendly projects, and in 2020, even before its opening, with the “Adaptation and Resilience Award” for demonstrating the best capacity for adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

About Galataport İstanbul 

Galataport İstanbul, situated at the heart of Istanbul in a 1.2km waterfront location by the Bosphorus, offers its guests a “breathable” healthy and safe culture, arts, shopping, dining, and work experience with its accessible low-rise buildings and architecture, designed in a neighborhood concept in harmony with the historical texture of the district. 

Galataport İstanbul, located in an area that has been home to diverse cultures in the past, is revitalizing Karaköy as the heart of the city’s trade. Hosting many world-renowned local and international brands and restaurants, Galataport Istanbul has become one of İstanbul’s favorite meeting spots since October 2021. The world’s first underground cruise ship terminal, which was inspired by the underground cisterns in İstanbul and is the winner of Red Dot design award, is among the most striking features of Galataport İstanbul, which was brought to life with a total investment of $1.7 billion, including the tender bid amount. When a cruise ship docks at the port, a temporary customs area is created thanks to a special system of 176 hydraulic hatches, which is activated and separates the security (ISPS) area. The fact that the hatches can be individually controlled provides flexibility in creating an ISPS area based on the number of ships at the port and their sizes. 

Thanks to this innovation, the unique waterfront in Karaköy, which has been closed to public access since the late 19th century, remains open to the visitors, except for the section where the ship berths and is separated by the hatches, and becomes one of the city’s most special walking routes. 

Approximately 150 ships and 450,000 passengers, including the crew are planned to come to Galataport İstanbul, where three cruise ships can berth at the same time and which has a daily capacity to host 15,000 passengers with its terminal spread on 29,000 sqm, until the end of 2022. 

Starting from next year, it is anticipated to host approximately 1.5 million cruise passengers, including the crew every year. Positioned as a ‘home port,’ Galataport İstanbul contributes significantly to the national and regional tourism and economy by bringing great dynamism to the cruise tourism across a wide geography from the Mediterranean basin to the Black Sea. 

By integrating the historical port into the city, Galataport İstanbul makes an important contribution to social and economic sustainability as well with this investment. Galataport İstanbul, which is positioned as the second largest project in Europe to receive LEED Platinum certification with its environmental sustainability activities from the special cooling system to waste management was recognized with the “Environmental Responsibility Award” by MedCruise last year. In 2021, Galataport İstanbul won the award for “Eastern Mediterranean Cruise Port with the Highest Commitment to the Industry During the Pandemic” at the MedCruise Awards. 

With the restoration work ongoing at Galataport Istanbul, very valuable registered buildings in Istanbul are brought back to life. Paket Postanesi (Post Office Fashion Galleria) brings Karaköy’s multicultural commercial life and craftsmanship traditions to present day with fashion, design, flavor and jewelry masters who have opened to the world from Istanbul. The restoration work in Merkez Han, Karaköy Passenger Terminal, and Çinili Han, the three registered buildings located within the site is currently ongoing. The Peninsula İstanbul, the new property of the Peninsula Hotels brand, which operates in only ten prestigious locations worldwide, with its 176 rooms in these three registered buildings and the newly constructed grand ballroom with a guillotine glazing façade, which opens fully in only 90 seconds, stands across the historical peninsula. 

Tophane Clock Tower, dating to 1848 and positioned as the oldest clock tower in Turkey and İstanbul, crowns the its namesake Clock Tower Square and this square hosts important events on the city’s annual culture & arts calendar. İstanbul Museum of Modern Art and Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University İstanbul Museum of Painting and Sculpture, which house some of the finest works of art in Turkey, are also located on the site of Galataport İstanbul. 

Galataport İstanbul will welcome around 25 million visitors per year, including 7 million foreign tourists. As part of the project, nearly 1.5 million cruise passengers, including the crew, are predicted to visit İstanbul.