Turkish shipyards during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

It might be unimaginable to anticipate the pandemic, but taking the initiative in measures when Covid-19 occurred was critical to success. However, the impact of this worldwide pandemic, ever known in World History, was predictable. Covid-19, the largest known pandemic in world history, will cause social, economic, and political changes. Country governments, non-governmental organizations, and companies have developed new skills and competencies to overcome the economic and social crisis caused by the pandemic with minimum damage. This paper aims to investigate the effects of the pandemic and the measures taken in Turkish shipyards in the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic with the cooperation of GISBIR and Istanbul Technical University Academic staff. Firstly, current academic studies were reviewed by conducting a literature search. Then, GISBIR data sheets, Baltic Dry Cargo Index, shipyard order book statistics, and employment statistics were evaluated as primary data. The shipyards' websites and the sector managers' reports are secondary data. Despite the pessimistic news, academic studies, and surveys published during the outbreak's initial phase, the authors could not find any evidence to indicate the medium-term negative impact of Covid-19 on Turkish shipyards. Although the Baltic Dry Index showed a decline in the first quarter of 2020, it rose right after the second quarter, and the shipyard order book statistics increased. Employment statistics, on the other hand, continued to increase gradually. Recovery depends on the shipyards overcoming the harmful effects of the crisis by investing in continuous improvement efforts, green technology, and systems, with the support of GISBIR, giving importance to effective crisis management and distinctive ship production.