He stated, "With the Israel-Palestine war, some cruise ships have canceled their stops at Israel's Haifa and Ashdod ports. The ships that have made this decision are redirecting their routes to Türkiye as well as Egypt and Cyprus, among others. While this may seem like a short-term advantage, we need to consider the bigger picture."
The recent conflicts between Israel and Palestine in early October have prompted passenger ships to reconsider their routes. In response to the insecure situation caused by the war, some major cruise operators, considered giants in the industry, have decided to cancel future trips that include stops at Israeli ports, especially Ashdod Port.
"There are cruise ships that have canceled their stops at Haifa and Ashdod Ports"
Emrah Yılmaz Çavuşoğlu, Chairman of Camelot Maritime, the first company to operate a foreign-owned passenger ship in Türkiye remarked, "We are closely and sorrowfully monitoring the war between Israel and Palestine. War, no matter what, is a crime against humanity. There are no winners in war. We wish for peace to come as soon as possible in the name of humanity. Due to the war, some cruise ships are canceling their stops at Haifa and Ashdod ports in Israel. These ships are redirecting their routes, primarily to Turkey, as well as Egypt and Cyprus."
"We could become the cruise ship hub of the region!"
Çavuşoğlu emphasized Türkiye's important location in terms of its geographical position and tourism destinations, saying, "If there's a fire in your neighbor's house, it will inevitably affect you. We don't take advantage of the Israel-Palestine conflict or the Russia-Ukraine tension. On the contrary, as a country, we try to mediate in the path to peace for our neighbors. Because we are a country that follows the philosophy of 'Peace at Home, Peace in the World.' With our safe harbors, technical infrastructure capabilities, and service quality, we are poised to become the hub of the region. Investments in the maritime sector could position us as a leader in the region."
"In the short term, it may seem like an advantage, but we need to consider the bigger picture!"
It's important to consider the Mediterranean as a whole and evaluate it. On one side of the basin, you have us, and on the other side, there are Mediterranean neighboring countries, including Israel and Palestine. We need to see the bigger picture. The security situation here concerns all of us. Some of the passenger ships that have canceled their stops at Haifa and Ashdod ports are making stops in Bodrum, Marmaris, and Alanya. This may seem like an advantage for now. As Camelot Maritime, the first company to operate a foreign-owned passenger ship in Türkiye, with our years of experience, we would like to emphasize that we foresee this situation won't provide a long-term advantage."
