DESCRIPTION
The Project entails expansion of Autoport facilities through: (i) seaward extension of the berth length from 656m to 850m and related reclamation and dredging works enabling concurrent servicing of three vessels from two vessels; and (ii) seaward expansion of the yard to 394,058m², which collectively would increase Autoport's parking capacity from 13,000 vehicles to 21,000 vehicles, including satellite areas. The Port currently has an annual handling capacity of 650,000 CEU and up to 2.0 million tonnes of general cargo. Upon completion of the Project, the annual handling capacity is expected to increase to up to 1.1 million CEU and up to 2.5 million tonnes of general cargo.
The Borrower is 80% owned by Arkas Holding, a leading Turkish logistics conglomerate, and 20% by the Zeytinoglu Family who used to own the project land, which they invested in Autoport as in-kind capital. Arkas Holding is a major Turkish conglomerate focused on logistics, shipping, and transportation services, operating one of the country’s largest private container fleets and a wide network of port, logistics, maritime, and supply-chain companies across Türkiye and international markets.
Autoport is serving as a major gateway for roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) automotive trade from Türkiye, located in the Gulf of Izmit, at the center of the hubs of major automotive manufacturers and distributors in the Eastern and Southern Marmara region. Autoport currently operates in an area of c. 243,351m² with 10,000 parking slots (13,000 including satellite areas) and a 656m-long berth. Autoport is also operationally equipped to handle breakbulk cargo, which includes steel, paper and packaged forest products. The effective Ro-Ro capacity of the port is constrained by a high yard occupancy rate of (c.72%) and berth occupancy (c.75%). As such, Autoport plans the aforementioned expansion with an estimated capital expenditure of USD157 million.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INFORMATION
Applicable Policy and Categorization. The Project is co-financed with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and International Finance Corporation (IFC). To ensure a harmonized approach to addressing environmental and social (ES) aspects of the Project, and as permitted by AIIB’s Environmental and Social Policy (AIIB’s ESP), EBRD’s Environmental and Social Policy (EBRD’s ESP, 2019) and relevant Performance Requirements (PRs) apply to this Project in lieu of AIIB’s ESP. The Bank has reviewed EBRD’s ESP and PRs and is satisfied that (i) the EBRD ESP and PRs are consistent with the Bank’s Articles of Agreement and materially consistent with the provisions of AIIB’s ESP and the relevant ES Standards (ESSs), and (ii) the monitoring procedures that are in place are appropriate for the Project. EBRD has categorized the ES risks of the Project as Category B, which is equivalent to Category B if AIIB’s ESP was applicable. The Project supports expansion of existing port facilities within an established industrial port area, and therefore its adverse ES risks and impacts are site-specific, limited, largely reversible, and can be properly mitigated and managed by following Good International Industry Practice (GIIP).
Environmental and Social Instruments. An Environmental and Social Assessment (ESA) was conducted by an independent consultant to assess the project’s compliance with national ES regulations, EBRD’s PRs and IFC’s Performance Standards (PSs), including an assessment of the project’s ES risks and impacts profile, permitting documentation, associated management plans, the Borrower’s capacity, and stakeholder engagement activities. As a result of the ESA findings and recommended actions, an Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP) has been developed to bring the Project in full compliance with EBRD’s ESP. A Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) has also been prepared.
Environmental Aspects. The expansion works are located in an industrial area, with no anticipated significant direct impacts to terrestrial flora and fauna. Possible adverse impacts to the marine ecosystem, such as impacts of dredging to the seabed of the project area, habitat loss or degradation, increased turbidity and seawater contamination, were assessed to be generally short-term and reversible, and can be effectively minimized or mitigated by adopting available construction technologies and relevant procedures. The ESAP requires the Borrower to develop and implement a construction-phase Biodiversity Management Plan (BMP) to set forth measures to mitigate impacts on priority biodiversity values and the Marmara Sea and Islands Specially Protected Area (SPAMI). Other major environmental risks and impacts that may occur during the construction and operation phase of the Project include air emissions and dust, noise and vibration, coastal erosion and changes in coastal processes, stormwater and effluent discharge, disposal of dredged materials, hazardous materials and wastes management, and community health and safety risks arising from increased traffic. The ESAP requires improvement of the existing management plans or preparation of new ones to properly manage and monitor these risks and impacts.
Social and Gender Aspects. As the Project is located within the existing footprint of an operational port, it is not expected to require land acquisition or result in physical or economic displacement. Key social risks relate to labor and working conditions, occupational health and safety, community health and safety impacts associated with construction activities and increased traffic, and stakeholder engagement with affected communities and port users. The ESA assessed the Borrower’s ES management capacity and stakeholder engagement practices, and an ESAP and SEP have been prepared to support management of identified social risks and impacts. In addition, the Project is not expected to result in significant gender-differentiated impacts. Measures for management of sensitive grievances, including those related to gender-based violence and sexual exploitation and abuse, are included in the Project’s stakeholder engagement and grievance management arrangements.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), Labor and Employment Conditions. The OHS risks may include falling from height, collision with moving machinery and vehicle, hazards associated with the use of explosives and hazardous chemicals, electric shock, mechanical and load handling hazards, exposure to noise, dust, heat wave and vapors, among others. Additional risks may arise from the interface between construction activities and ongoing port operations. Labor and employment risks are primarily associated with management of contractors and subcontractors, working conditions, worker accommodation, and compliance with applicable labor requirements. These risks will be managed, amongst other ways, through HR procedures, worker grievance mechanisms, Camp Management Plan, and OHS management plan. The ESA assessed the Borrower’s existing organizational structure and related procedure for OHS management, and the ESAP includes actions to further strengthen the OHS management.
Stakeholder Engagement, Consultation and Information Disclosure. A public participation meeting was organized during the EIA process in accordance with the provisions of the Türkiye EIA Regulation. Additional consultation was carried out with the potential Project-affected People (PAP) including the Sepetlipınar Muktar and the fishermen during the ESA. Further engagement was also undertaken with local fishing associations and relevant maritime NGOs to better understand concerns related to access restrictions, traffic, and potential impacts on fishing activities. A SEP has been prepared to identify the key stakeholders of the project, outlining approaches for information disclosure, stakeholder engagement and consultation in a culturally appropriate and meaningful manner. The ES documentation including a Non-Technical Summary (NTS) of the ESA report and the SEP was disclosed by the Borrower on its website[1] on April 22, 2026. EBRD disclosure[2] was on October 28, 2026.
Project Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM). Requirements for establishing project level GRM for the communities and the workers are described in the SEP, both of which allow anonymous submissions and include clear timelines for registration, evaluation and resolution. The SEP also includes template forms for grievance register and tracking. The Borrower is committed through the ESAP action to establish and implement the GRM in a timeframe and manner acceptable to the Lenders, including provisions for managing sensitive complaints (e.g., GBV/SEA and child‑related incidents) and ensuring multiple access channels. Information of established GRM will be timely disclosed in an appropriate manner.
Monitoring and Reporting Arrangement. The Borrower is committed to preparation and implementation of construction and operation Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) including a monitoring plan and engaging experienced third-party ES consultant (Lender’s ES advisor, LESA) to monitor the contractor(s) and subcontractor(s) to control the ES hazards from the Project. The LESA will prepare and submit ES monitoring reports on a quarterly basis during construction phase and frequency may be reduced to bi-annual when the project transitions to operations phase. AIIB’s ES specialists will work with ES specialists of the co-financiers to conduct regular monitoring of the project’s ES management performance and compliance through reviewing the monitoring reports and during implementation support missions.
[1] https://www.autoport.com.tr/pkp.html
[2] https://www.ebrd.com/home/work-with-us/projects/psd/55567.project-summary-document.html
