Stolthaven Terminals and Rönesans Holding are building a new chemical and industrial terminal at Ceyhan, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. The terminal forms part of DAPEK (Ceyhan Petrochemical Industrial Park), a wider industrial zone that Rönesans is developing into one of the country's most significant manufacturing and logistics hubs.
We sat down with Guy Bessant of Stolthaven Terminals and Okay Kayaoglu of Rönesans Holding to talk about the partnership behind the investment, why Ceyhan matters, and what the project means for Turkey’s industrial future.
A partnership built on trust
Every long-term investment starts with the right partner, and both sides describe the relationship in similar terms.
"For me, trust comes from doing what you say you are going to do, and that has characterised the relationship between Stolthaven Terminals and Rönesans from the beginning," says Guy. "We bring different but very complementary strengths. Rönesans has tremendous knowledge of Turkey, a strong development capability and a very ambitious vision for Ceyhan. Stolthaven Terminals brings more than 50 years of experience in the safe and efficient handling and storage of bulk liquids and gases, together with a global customer base and international operating experience. But partnerships aren't really built between companies, but between people."
Okay agrees: "Trust developed through a shared commitment to the project and a clear alignment of long-term objectives. The partnership works because the capabilities are highly complementary, and both organisations approach the investment with a strong focus on safety, sustainability and operational excellence."
Why Ceyhan
Location sits at the heart of the investment case. Ceyhan offers deep-sea access, road connections, planned railway links and proximity to energy and feedstock infrastructure, all within reach of the Turkish domestic market, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
"Location is fundamental in our industry, and Ceyhan has several advantages coming together in one place," Guy explains. "But what makes this particularly interesting is that we aren't simply developing an isolated terminal. We are part of a much broader industrial ecosystem being created at DAPEK. When you combine manufacturing, storage, marine infrastructure, logistics and future industrial development in one location, you start creating a cluster. And clusters tend to generate their own momentum."
Okay describes it as a long-term bet on the region. "Ceyhan sits at the intersection of major maritime, energy and trade corridors. Its combination of deep-sea access, highways, planned railway connectivity and proximity to energy and feedstock infrastructure makes it an exceptional location for an integrated industrial and logistics platform. For both organisations, it is a long-term investment in the future of regional manufacturing and supply chains."
Turkey’s growth story
Turkey’s position between major production and consumption regions, combined with a large domestic market and diversified manufacturing base, is drawing fresh investment into the country's industrial infrastructure.
"Turkey has several structural advantages," says Guy. "It has a large domestic market, a substantial manufacturing base, a skilled workforce and a pivotal geographic position between Europe, Asia and the Middle East. We're also seeing companies rethink supply chains, and part of that is investment in infrastructure and domestic production. The development at Ceyhan is a good example. Instead of simply importing raw materials or finished products, there is an opportunity to produce more locally and build an integrated supply chain around that production."
Okay puts the scale of the opportunity in numbers. "Turkey's growth story is increasingly about moving from import dependence towards higher-value domestic production. The country has strong underlying demand, a capable industrial workforce and direct access to several major regional markets, but it still imports a significant share of essential petrochemical raw materials, including polypropylene. Investments such as DAPEK can help convert that structural demand into new production, employment, exports and more resilient supply chains."
Built to grow
The first phase of the terminal is only the starting point. As the wider development of DAPEK continues, we have the ability to add additional storage capacity to support growth in customer demand.
"The important point is that we are deliberately designing Ceyhan with the future in mind," Guy says. "The first phase establishes the infrastructure and supports the initial industrial development, but we don't see that as the end state. Our ambition is to develop additional capacity around real customer demand rather than simply building tanks and hoping customers arrive. Customers should expect a terminal that can evolve with them, whether that means additional storage capacity, different products, new logistics services or greater connectivity as the industrial cluster develops."
The first phase already includes a notable milestone: Turkey’s largest cryogenic propane tank. "As DAPEK attracts additional investors, customers should expect expanded storage and handling capabilities serving a broader range of liquid and gaseous products, supported by a deep-sea jetty and integrated logistics infrastructure," Okay adds.
Connecting to a global network
For customers, the value of Ceyhan extends well beyond the terminal gates.
"This is where Stolthaven Terminals can bring something quite distinctive," Guy explains. "We don't look at Ceyhan as an individual terminal. We look at how it connects with our broader global terminal network, our customers and the wider Stolt-Nielsen platform, including Stolt Tankers, Stolt Tank Containers and our integrated liquid logistics offering. Many of the companies that may manufacture, import, export or distribute products through Ceyhan are companies we already work with elsewhere in the world. That is increasingly what customers are looking for: reliability, consistency and connectivity across their supply chains."
Okay sees the same connectivity strengthening Ceyhan's credibility with international customers. "An experienced international operator such as Stolthaven Terminals brings much more than storage capacity. Its global operating standards, technical expertise and strong safety culture enable us to develop a terminal that can serve sophisticated international customers from the outset and expand in line with the future needs of DAPEK."
He also places Ceyhan within a much larger vision. "DAPEK brings together industrial land, port facilities with container and dry bulk terminals, liquid and gas handling, road and planned railway connectivity, energy infrastructure and investor-oriented services in one strategic location. DAPEK's management partner is SJ Group of Singapore, which has managed or advised many industrial parks around the world, including the Jurong Island cluster. We work closely with the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and act as a one-stop-shop for large and strategic investments."
What success looks like
Both partners measure success in similar terms: safe and reliable operations first, then growth built on genuine demand.
"I would look at success through several lenses," says Guy. "First and foremost, we need to operate safely and reliably. That will always be the foundation of Stolthaven Terminals. Secondly, I would want to see the first phase operating successfully with highly satisfied customers. Thirdly, I would expect us to have expanded the terminal and attracted additional local and international customers into Ceyhan. But the bigger measure of success would be seeing DAPEK develop into the industrial cluster we believe it can become, with the terminal playing an important role in enabling that growth."
He ends on a personal note. "I would hope that five years from now, Rönesans and Stolthaven Terminals are looking at what we have achieved together and asking: what's next? That is usually the best indication that a partnership has worked."
Okay shares that ambition. "Success means operating a safe, reliable and internationally competitive terminal that serves both the polypropylene complex and a growing portfolio of third-party customers across petrochemicals and chemicals. Ultimately, we want this partnership to demonstrate how international expertise and local investment capacity can create long-term industrial value."
