The minister said in a press statement on Thursday that his country plans to start the construction of the sea canal in 2019.
He pointed out that the project will be working based on the delivery of the project to the private sector to be operated and managed until the end of the concession period to be handed over to the government.
The Istanbul Canal project, which is expected to strengthen Turkey’s position in the area of water crossings, links the Marmara Sea with the Black in the European part of Istanbul, along 45 kilometers, parallel to the Bosphorus.
Through the project, the Turkish government aims to reduce the movement of ships through the Bosphorus and to open up new investment opportunities on both sides of the Canal, and to be completed by 2023.