The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said it signed a $40 million loan with Arkas Holding to support maritime logistics and port infrastructure upgrades in Türkiye, marking ADB’s first private-sector infrastructure transaction in the country since beginning operations there in October 2025.
The financing will support Arkas Group’s capital expenditure program over the next eight years, including fleet modernization, logistics expansion and port infrastructure investments aimed at improving efficiency and sustainability across shipping routes linking the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
The transaction reflects growing interest among development finance institutions in strengthening trade corridors and logistics resilience as supply chains across Asia, Europe and the Middle East face rising geopolitical and operational pressures.
ADB said the investment aligns with its strategy to expand private-sector financing in gateway economies and improve connectivity along the Middle Corridor, a trade route linking Asia and Europe through Central Asia, the Caucasus and Türkiye.
As trade volumes grow across regional corridors in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, Türkiye’s position as a logistics gateway is drawing greater attention from development lenders and private infrastructure investors.
The financing is expected to help Arkas improve operational capacity, facilitate smoother cargo flows and support compliance with international environmental and safety standards while reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
The deal also highlights the increasing role of development finance institutions in supporting maritime decarbonization and sustainable transport infrastructure, particularly in emerging markets positioned along major trade routes.
“Partnering with an established and diversified logistics group is crucial for our first infrastructure investment in Türkiye,” ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Leah Gutierrez said.
Arkas Holding Chairman Lucien Arkas said the investment marks “the first step toward a lasting partnership” that could support the group’s future investments and expansion across the region.
Founded in İzmir in 1902, Arkas Holding operates across maritime transport, port services, integrated logistics, automotive, insurance, information technology and tourism.