Splash247: Akkon set to become Turkey’s largest liner

Turkish carrier Akkon Lines is poised to become the country’s largest containerline, capping a remarkable rise in just eight years since its founding, according to Alphaliner.

The Istanbul-headquartered company is on the verge of overtaking long-time market leader Arkas Line following the addition of the newly delivered 3,316 teu Ou Sheng, a chartered vessel that recently joined the fleet.

Established in 2018, Akkon has expanded at pace, now operating 34 ships with a combined capacity of 50,515 teu. This places the carrier 35th globally in Alphaliner’s Top 100 ranking, just one position – or around 500 teu – behind Arkas. The turnaround is striking given that as recently as a year ago, the gap between the two Turkish operators exceeded 20,000 teu.

Akkon’s rapid ascent has been driven by an aggressive chartering strategy. Unlike Arkas, the company owns only two vessels, with 32 ships – accounting for 97% of its capacity – sourced from the charter market.

Growth has been particularly sharp over the past four years, with capacity surging from just 7,000 teu to more than 50,000 teu today, underlining the scale and speed of its expansion.

The Ou Sheng entered service for Akkon on April 15, departing Qingdao to join the carrier’s Far East-Turkey ‘FES’ loop. The service is currently operated by a fleet of six vessels ranging from 2,500 teu to 4,600 teu.