In transit trade the goods are not imported into Türkiye; they only pass through, or wait for a period and are then directed to another country. No import duty arises in Türkiye.
This structure is designed for the trader who uses Türkiye not as a market but as a transhipment and waiting point.
When it is useful
- When the customs or financing process in the destination country is not complete
- When a large consignment is to be split among several buyers
- When cargo arriving by sea is to be transferred to road transport
- When storage cost or risk in the destination country is high
The role of the warehouse
In transit trade the warehouse is the point where the goods wait and are split. While waiting in the warehouse the goods are not treated as imported into Türkiye.
During the wait, handling operations such as sorting, labelling and repacking can be carried out; the goods then leave in parts or as a whole.
Why geography matters
In transit trade what determines cost is distance. A warehouse close to the port of entry and to the destination country's border gate shortens total haulage.
The Gulf of İskenderun is advantageous in this respect: the port, the region's rolling mills and the Syrian and Iraqi land border gates are close to one another.
Points to watch
Transit formalities are subject to their own documentation regime; settle the declaration and guarantee questions with your customs broker.
The destination country's paperwork requirements should also be known from the outset: a missing document leaves the cargo waiting at the border.