According to Turkish press sources, March 2025 will see the official launch of Turkroro Denizcilik ve Taşımacılık Anonim Şirketi, a shipping company dedicated to ro-ro services between Turkey and Europe. The firm was founded by Fuat Pamukçu, who previously held leadership roles at UN Ro-ro and later at Dfds. Although the company is already registered with the Turkish Trade Registry, details such as the routes, fleet, and services will be unveiled during its official presentation, scheduled by the end of March.
Fuat Pamukçu is no stranger to major financial operations in Turkey’s ro-ro sector. His career includes a notable stint at Citigroup, where he oversaw the sale of UN Ro-ro to US-based private equity firm Kkr in 2007 for €910 million — at the time, the largest private equity investment in Turkish history. He also played a central role in the company’s subsequent acquisition by the Danish group Dfds in 2018 for €950 million. Throughout his professional journey, Pamukçu has remained focused on strategic growth and the development of Turkish maritime transport.
Until his recent departure from Dfds, Pamukçu served as vice president in charge of sales, marketing, business development, and strategy. Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavours, he is also active in civil society as a board member of Yanındayız, an organisation committed to promoting gender equality.
Turkroro’s stated ambition is to enhance Turkey’s role as a logistics hub connecting Europe, Asia, and North Africa, by leveraging the country’s strategic geographical position and its established presence in international markets. While no official announcement has been made, it is widely expected that one of the routes the new company will operate will link Turkey and Italy, likely calling at Trieste. This would introduce a third player alongside Dfds and Grimaldi, who currently dominate the corridor. Dfds recently launched a new route between Damietta and Trieste, while Grimaldi has added a third vessel to its Turkey–Trieste service.
