Turkon Line Deploys Turkey’s First Locally Built LNG Boxship on India Route

Turkon Line has launched the 4,000 TEU Kasif Kalkavan, Turkey’s first and largest domestically built LNG fuelled containership, on its maiden voyage to India following its inaugural call at Marport, Istanbul.

The vessel entered service on 17 July on Turkon’s TRI route, connecting Turkey, the Red Sea and western India with the carrier’s broader European and US network, strengthening Turkey-India container trade links.

Kasif Kalkavan is the first of two 4,000 TEU containerships built for Turkon Line by Sedef Shipyard, marking the carrier’s largest newbuilding programme to date and expected to boost service capacity by more than 50 percent.

Classed by ABS, the vessel measures 199.95 metres in length and 37.5 metres in width, with a service speed of 18 knots and capacity for 600 reefer containers. It is designed for multi-fuel flexibility, capable of running on LNG, marine gas oil, heavy fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil and ultra low sulphur fuel oil. The ship is fitted with selective catalytic reduction and scrubber systems to control nitrogen oxide and sulphur emissions, reflecting growing industry focus on decarbonisation and cleaner shipping fuels.

The vessel is named after late Turkish shipowner Kasif Kalkavan, whose family founded the maritime businesses that evolved into Turkon Holding.

Turkon Line, established by the Kalkavan family in 1997, is headquartered in Istanbul and operates through 35 offices across 26 countries, calling at 40 ports on four continents. Sedef Shipyard has been part of Turkon Holding since 2000, serving as the group’s shipbuilding arm alongside its container shipping operations.