The Akkuyu NPP supply chain works by bringing the main equipment manufactured at Rosatom's plants in Russia by sea to the plant's Eastern Cargo Terminal, and other materials to the site by RoRo, container and road via Taşucu and Mersin. It is coordinated by the project company Akkuyu Nükleer A.Ş.; every load passes an incoming inspection after customs clearance.
Who manages the supply chain?
As the plant is being built under a build-own-operate model, the buyer is the project company Akkuyu Nükleer A.Ş. The TİTAN-2 IC İÇTAŞ joint venture, as main contractor, carries out construction and installation. The main equipment for the reactor island comes from plants belonging to Rosatom's mechanical engineering division. In this structure, logistics works on three layers: heavy equipment transport organised by the manufacturer, contractors' material flows, and shipments from the sub-suppliers that feed them.
Where do equipment and materials come from?
- Russia – main equipment: The steam generators were manufactured at Atommash in Volgodonsk, and the core catchers and the Unit 1 polar crane at TYAZHMASH in Syzran; the reactor vessels also came from Rosatom's mechanical engineering division. According to Rosatom, more than 7,000 tonnes of equipment were manufactured for the reactor sections of the four units.
- Russia – auxiliary equipment and materials: Pipelines, embedded parts, electrical equipment, spare parts and installation materials. A significant portion of these arrive by truck.
- Türkiye – local supply: Akkuyu Nuclear purchases construction materials, containers, services and logistics from Turkish companies through tenders and holds seminars for local suppliers.
- Other countries: Some subsystems and components come from third countries, as containers or breakbulk via commercial ports such as Mersin.
Which transport modes are used?
| Mode | Typical cargo | Entry point |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy-lift vessel | Reactor vessel, steam generator, stator, core catcher | Eastern Cargo Terminal |
| General cargo vessel | Project lots, steel structures, crane parts | Eastern Cargo Terminal |
| RoRo | Equipment and materials arriving by truck | Taşucu Port |
| Container / breakbulk | Parts of European and Asian origin | Mersin Port |
| Road | Truck loads arriving via Georgia or Iran, domestic supply | Border crossings |
Why heavy equipment arrives by sea rather than by road is explained in a separate entry, and the routes from Russia in the Russia–Akkuyu routes entry.
How does the Eastern Cargo Terminal work?
The terminal is inside the plant site, in the Büyükeceli neighbourhood of Gülnar, and handles only the plant's own cargo. It received a temporary operating permit in May 2019; it accepts vessels not exceeding 140 metres in length, 8.8 metres in draught and 13,017 tonnes deadweight. Pilotage and tug services are provided for vessels entering and leaving the bay and when berthing. The port area is a customs control zone and a border crossing point. By February 2025 it had received 100 vessels and more than 100,000 tonnes of cargo; the heaviest load was a 430-tonne turbine generator stator. In 2023 the terminal was certified to accept special cargo such as fresh nuclear fuel.
How are customs clearance and site acceptance carried out?
- Customs: The cargo is cleared at the crossing or terminal where it arrives. Procedures for cargo arriving by RoRo are explained in the project cargo customs clearance at Taşucu entry.
- Site entry: Vehicles and drivers pass a security check.
- Incoming inspection: The cargo is checked for integrity, conformity with technical documentation and completeness. For main equipment, representatives of the manufacturer, designer and contractor also sit on the committee.
- Storage: Accepted cargo is moved to an area matching its preservation level and awaits its installation sequence.
How does Voltim Global support this?
Headquartered in Mersin, Voltim Global has made more than 450 shipments from Russia to Akkuyu since March 2024. Most of these were carried on the Tuapse–Taşucu RoRo line, and some by road via Upper Lars–Georgia and Iran; the route structure is described on the Akkuyu supply line page.