Address: Kennedy Cad. Sahilyolu, Yenikapı, Aksaray/İstanbul

Number of Employees: 550

Capital: USD 40,000,000.-

Share holders: Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, İETT (Istanbul City Bus Operation), Hamidiye A.Ş., İSTON A.Ş., İSBAK A.Ş.

Objectives

Transportation using maritime vehicles is an important alternative to other transportation methods in a city like Istanbul, which is surrounded by sea on all its sides. Istanbul Sea Buses Company, İDO in abbreviation, was established in 1987 by the Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul in order to contribute to the sea transportation and solution of traffic problem in the city. With the introduction of sea bus lines one after another, many points of Istanbul and nearby provinces have been reached, and high speed and quality has been brought about in sea transportation. İDO’s areas of business include transportation of passengers and all sorts of cargo, providing modern services at ships, ports, terminals and their transport lines, and the supply and provision of services.

The History of Transportation By Sea Buses in Turkey

Passenger transportation by sea buses was first actualized in Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey. Since the city is convenient for sea transport the Metropolitan Municipality wanted to make use of this opportunity, taking the first step by establishing Istanbul Sea Buses Company (İDO) in 1987.In addition to passenger transportation İDO’s objectives include: providing all the necessary by-services that would bring about modern road transportation connected to sea

buses terminals; making city transportation plans; building open and closed car parks and pedestrian passageways; building and operating. passenger and freight terminals; building and operating passenger and freight terminals; establishing facilities for repair and maintenance of all vehicles; and building underground and surface terminals.

Road Traffic, Sea Transport and Istanbul

Traffic congestion is one of the most important problems in the city of Istanbul, one of the oldest and largest metropolises in the world. Over 10 million people live on the two banks of the Bosphorus. In the city with this many of population, 90 % of transportation is done by roads. In fact the convenient sea ways like the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea, and the Golden Horn make it possible to decrease the share of roads, thus increasing that of sea.

The insufficient use of sea ways is one of the reasons for road traffic congestion in Istanbul. It is obvious that building new road junctions and broadening roads, as well as the existing light metro system and the underground system which will soon be in operation will not by themselves be a solution to traffic congestion. The solution of the problem also requires the extensive use of sea transportation.

Activities

Beginning with the year 1994 İDO has broadened its area of services while considerably reducing their cost İDO has successfully become one of the distinguished companies in Turkey and the world in the realm of high speed sea transportation, with the following features: a capital of $ 3,600,000.- 20 sea buses and 4 ferries, 30 terminals, 550 employees, approximately $ 50 million of annual income, $ 180 million of investment in the last five years, around 10 million annual passenger capacity. İDO’s development from 1994 to 2000 can be summarized as followsWith the number of lines running and trips made, İDO has come to share 8% of the total sea transportation in Istanbul. The number of passengers has increased.

Out of one million people who commute between the Asian and European sides of the city everyday, 380,000 use sea transportation vehicles. İDO carries 30,000 passengers on average everyday.The financial structure has been improved. Th fact that the returns for the year 1999 reached $ 50.6 million indicates this.

As a result of a hard bargaining process, insurance premiums have been reduced, thus saving $ 750,000.- to $ 800,000.- annually. While the total insurance premium paid in 1993 for the company owned ships was $ 1,800,000.-, the figure for 1994 was reduced to $ 378,000.-. The figures for the years 1996 and 1997 were $ 210,000.- and $ 170,000.- respectively.

The class of ships was transferred in 1996 from the Norwegian Class Agency to the Turkish Lloyd, which has yielded a 60 % saving in annual survey and control costs. 35 % reduction in maintenance costs has been achieved. This was due to a 35 % discount obtained from the Pendik Shipyard which carries out the repair, maintenance and pooling services of İDO’s ships.

Also, in 1996, regarding the basic machinery problems of the ships, the manufacturing company MTU (Germany) provided the company with 2 main scattering machines free of charge. MTU also completed the major repair works of two basic machines free of charge. This meant savings of DM 2 million for the company. The number of terminals reached 30 in 1999. Terminals have been modernized. The company has 21 terminals in Istanbul. The number of terminals it owns outside Istanbul is 9, which are in the surrounding cities.

The company has bought a tanker truck of some 20 tons capacity in order to carry its own liquid fuel needs.

On the routes within Istanbul the use of smart tickets (an electronic ticket system) was introduced.

In 1994 İDO had 10 ships each of which having a 450-passenger capacity. In the last five years the company increased the number of its ships to 24. Among the new ships there are two sea buses of some 350 seats capacity, eight of some 350 seats capacity, and two ferries with a capacity of 95 vehicles. This fleet of 24 ships has a total capacity of 10.538 passengers and 588 vehicles.

Increase in the Number of Passengers:

While in 1994 the number of passengers was some 5,178,688, the figure reached 6,761,809 in 1996. This was the result of rational timetable planning. The figure for 1997 exceeded 7 million.

Investments:

For the first time in İDO’s history it has made an investment of $ 156 million not with a guaranty from the Treasury, but only a letter of credit from the Metropolitan Municipality of Istanbul.

Construction of Maintenance Workshop:

In November 1994 the building of a 150 square meter maintenance workshop was completed in the Tuzla area of the city. In this workshop full maintenance of basic machinery and power generators is carried out economically and in a short time.

New Sea Buses:

In order to provide widespread ant better quality service to the public 2 new sea busses were added to the existing fleet of 10. They were bought from Australia in January 1995, and are of less seat capacity (155 persons) consuming less fuel.  

Orders for New Ships:

9 ships have been added to the fleet since 1994, increasing the total number to 21. 7 of these are passenger ships; and 2 are car ferries. Under a technology transfer agreement with a Norwegian company, a ship (35 meters long, 400 passenger capacity, 32 knot speed) is being built at the Turkish shipyard at Pendik. The value of project is $ 74.8 million, financed by an eight and a half year payment term foreign credit. The investment value for the 2 catamaran sea buses (400 seat capacity) which are being built in the same shipyard is $ 9.1 million. The ships will be delivered to İDO in May and July 2000.In January 1995 the new terminal at Eminönü was opened

In 1996 construction of new terminals began at Yenikapı, Sarıyer, İstinye, Üsküdar, Beşiktaş, Kınalıada, Burgaz, and Heybeliada. The last terminal was opened in October 1997. Simultaneously a floating terminal was opened. Some terminals have been renovated. For the construction and modernization of terminals and quays (Yenikapı and others)

the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and İDO have made investments of $ 12 million and $ 10 million respectively. On June 2, 1995 smart tickets were introduced as the first step towards an integrated ticketing system in public transportation.

Online System:

In June 1996 an online booking system was introduced in all İDO terminals, thus making it possible for passengers to buy their tickets 10 days before their journeys.

The New Lines

In June 1996 the terminal in Avcılar was opened, and journeys to this district began.

In June 1997 the Istanbul-Bandırma line was opened.

In October 1997 Istanbul-Yalova ferry services began.

With the completion of the quays at the Bosphorus, the Bosphorus line was also opened in 1997.

İDO’s Future Goals:

Traffic congestion is getting worse day by day in the city of Istanbul. Sea buses, which have only ten years of history in the city, have been used more effectively day by day.

With future increases in the number of lines and in service quality the demand of the people of Istanbul for sea buses will also increase. İDO’s aim is to provide economical transportation, which can meet this demand. Increase in capacity utilization will also help reduce the ticket prices to the levels of other sea transportation means.

İDO’s Target Projects in the Short Run are as Follows:

Changing the location of Kadıköy terminal shifting it to the district center.

Enlarging Yalova terminal building.

Introducing ticket sales and booking over the Internet.

Launching a promotion campaign aiming at increasing the number of passengers.

Speeding up joint integration efforts of transportation with the city’s bus operator İETT.

For further information please visit www.ido.com.tr