Waterfront System for a Carbon-neutral&Circular Blue Economy

The port of Galataport Istanbul with its 112,000 sqm custom-zoned area and 1.2km waterfront was long underutilized and inaccessible to the public. The port has put in place an innovative project which was focused to make the blue economy carbon -neutral & circular, thus contributing to the Mission Ocean & Waters.
In particular, this project has put a special emphasis on
- Water Resources and Protection of Aquatic Life
- Emission Reduction
- Waste Management Waste management

All Galataport Istanbul buildings use Bosphorus straight’s seawater as a coolant rather than cooling gases, which saves 34% energy, reduces carbon emissions, and replaces harmful cooling gases that contribute to climate change.
Endemic plants to Istanbul and efficient irrigation systems help save 50% more water and the use of landscaped areas and green roofs are expected to reduce the heat island effect. The project was designed with the aim of protecting water resources with our 50% water saving and reducing the impact on climate change with the green roof application. The water saved is not used elsewhere for marine or maritime purposes.
Seawater quality, particles, pollution (from dust and noise) levels are measured quarterly to monitor the project's environmental impact, and marine ecology monitoring is done annually.
Moreover, the port is committed to sustainable urban development and environmental stewardship, to showcase its transformation into a model of sustainable regeneration and its contribution to depollution.
As a result, Galataport Istanbul became Europe's second largest LEED-Platinum certified project.
Galataport Istanbul has developed into a case study for cities throughout the world while also preserving its main role as a port with an innovative approach.
A Waste Management Procedure in accordance with the Zero Waste Regulation has been established and has started to be implemented. In this context, waste management at Galataport is managed with a focus on the Zero Waste Management System for urban waste from the shopping mall, office, terminal and all other activities. The Zero Waste Regulation in Turkey includes various regulations for the separate collection, recovery and disposal of waste at source and minimizing the amount of non-disposable waste to minimize negative impacts on the environment, in particular on water resources, and ensure effective management of waste.
Thanks to our zero-waste management system, Galataport received the Zero Waste Certificate from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change in July 2022.