Turkey's long boatbuilding tradition began as far back as B.C., when wooden gulets were designed and built for fishing, trading and even defense purposes. Today, Turkey is home to inexpensive and skilled labor combined with top-notch design partners, resulting in some of the finest yachts in the world being built there.

A rich maritime heritage and craftsmanship have created a niche that positions the country at the center of yacht production. Brands based on Turkey's coasts include Bering Yachts, Damen Yachts, Turquoise Yachts, AK Yacht, Alia Yachts, Numarine, Evadne, Sirena Yachts, Mengi Yay Yachts and Bilgin Yachts. Read more about Turkish Explorer Yacht Bauer here.

"It is now widely recognized that Turkey ranks third in yacht building after Italy and the Netherlands," said Alexei Mikhailov, founder and president of Bering Yachts. "In my opinion, it will soon be in second place."

Alexei Mikhailov believes that the tax advantages of Turkey's free trade zones (VAT-free, tax-free and duty-free) make yacht construction more accessible. The Antalya Akbas Free Zone is the most important center for yacht construction, with a share of about 80 percent, followed by the Istanbul district of Tuzla and Bodrum in Muğla province.

"Buying a new-build yacht in Turkey is different than anywhere else in the world," says Alexei Mikhailov, founder and president of Bering Yachts. "The certificate of ownership is issued to the yacht owner by the government right at the beginning of the construction, which means that Turkish shipyards practically work on account. So it's a safe and transparent way of building boats, where the owner is in control from the beginning."

Currently, 74 shipyards are building yachts in Turkey , which is 26% of all yacht yards in the world. By the end of 2021, Turkey will have 74 super yachts over 30m in length with an average length of 50m (as of Superyacht Times Report 2021).

 If you have any further questions about Turkey as a yacht building nation or about building a yacht in Turkey, please feel free to contact me.