1/18/2017
Minister of Transport Ahmet Arslan Meets Mr. Ishii, the Japanese Minister of Infrastructure and Transport
Minister Arslan: "Japanese contractors' interest in the Çanakkale Bridge Project makes us happy. 24 companies including 10 foreign companies - 4 Japanese, 3 Chinese, 2 Korean companies and an Italian company - purchased the tender documents. We will also go through matters related to building and operating high-speed trains as well as aviation, marine transport and shipbuilding today."
Ahmet Arslan, the Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication, met Keiichi Ishii, the Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the delegates accompanying him. Before this meeting, Mr. Arslan made important statements about the BOT tender for the Kınalı-Tekirdağ-Çanakkale-Savaştepe Motorway (including the Çanakkale Bridge) Project scheduled for January 26, for which Japanese contractors are among the top candidates. Noting that Turkey and Japan had shared a long history of friendship, Arslan stated that the two countries conducted very powerful infrastructure projects together within the scope of a strong collaboration between the two countries. He pointed out that the projects of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Marmaray, and Osman Gazi Bridge were among successful projects undertaken jointly by Turkish and Japanese contractors. Minister Arslan: "Japanese contractors' interest in the project makes us happy. 24 companies have purchased the tender files" Noting that 1915 Çanakkale Bridge which is taken very seriously by Turkey and is scheduled to open in the centenary of the declaration of Republic will be the largest bridge in the world with an abutment clearance of 2,023 meters, Mr. Arslan said: "Japanese contractors' interest in the project makes us happy. 24 companies including 10 foreign companies - 4 Japanese, 3 Chinese, 2 Korean companies and an Italian company - purchased the tender documents. The interest of powerful companies both in Turkey and abroad makes us happy. We will receive their bids on January 26. We have also initiated the tender for consultancy services for the project. We will receive the bids for that tender on 27 March. Therefore, we will determine the consultancy service provider shortly after we determine the contractor. The project's outcome will be good for our country, the contractors and our people." Also pointing out that they would discuss with the Japanese delegates the matters related to building and operating high-speed trains as well as aviation, marine transport and shipbuilding, which are under the authority and duties of the Ministry, Mr. Arslan said: "Our Prime Minister and President will also receive the Japanese Minister and his delegates after the meeting". Japanese Minister Ishii: "I would like to state that Çanakkale Bridge will be a monumental project for signifying the friendship between the two countries if there arises collaboration between the two countries" The Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Keiichi Ishii, stated that he was happy to see that the strategic partnership based on mutual interests between the two countries had further developed. Stating that there are matters that they would like to put forward about Çanakkale Bridge in particular, Ishii said: "I would like to state that Çanakkale Bridge, which is to be built as the world's largest bridge with 2,023 meters of abutment clearance in the centenary of the declaration of Republic, will be a monumental project for signifying the friendship between the two countries if there arises collaboration between the two countries".
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