BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 28
By Orkhan Nabiyev - Trend:
The revenues worth $28 billion will be obtained a year after the construction of the Istanbul canal in Turkey, Trend reports referring to the Turkish Yenisafak newspaper.
After the implementation of this project, over 500,000 jobs are expected to be created in the region.
The specialists stress that the vessels with a deadweight of 300,000 tons will be able to pass through the canal, which will bring revenues worth $8 billion a year.
The implementation of the project will also have a positive impact on the tourism sector. Taking into account that 50 million foreign tourists visit Istanbul annually, revenues worth $30 billion a year will be obtained as a result of the project implementation.
The foundation was laid for one of six bridges to be built across the Istanbul canal at the end of last week. President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the ceremony.
The Istanbul Canal, an artificial transport route bypassing the Bosporus Strait, will connect the Black and Marmara Seas, increasing Turkey’s role in international trade.
The goal of Turkey's biggest infrastructure initiative is to relieve the burden on the Bosporus Strait, in which shipping is becoming more intensive from year to year.
More than 43,000 ships pass through Bosporus Strait, one of the busiest sea routes in the world each year, while this figure has been determined at 25,000 in accordance with the international agreements.
In accordance with the forecasts of the Turkish authorities, the flow of ships between the Black and Marmara Seas after 2050 will reach 78,000, which increases the importance of creating a new water route.
The construction of the 45-kilometer-canal will improve Turkey's logistics capabilities and infrastructure, as well as help, protect the environment in the region from potential maritime disasters.
The depth of the canal will reach on average 20.75 m, width - 275 m. New cities are planned to be built along the banks of the Istanbul canal.