President Erdogan receives new briefing on long-planned Istanbul Canal project

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration has advanced planning for the Istanbul Canal, a massive waterway that would connect the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara.

The move signals renewed commitment to one of Türkiye’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.

The project, first announced by Erdogan in 2011 as his “biggest dream” and dubbed the “crazy project,” has returned to the spotlight with the commencement of a 24,000-unit housing development by Türkiye’s public housing authority, TOKI, along the proposed canal route.

According to a report by Nefes newspaper, Erdogan received a detailed briefing on Feb. 27, 2025, during a visit to the Basaksehir-Nakkastepe Highway construction site.

The presentation, delivered by Yalcin Eyigun, Director General of Infrastructure Investments at the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, outlined construction timelines, financing mechanisms, and environmental considerations.

Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu and Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum attended the meeting, underscoring the project’s whole-of-government approach.

Istanbul Canal expected to cost $15 billion in 5 years of construction

The canal’s construction is expected to take five years at an estimated cost of $15 billion (₺570 billion). Officials plan to implement the project through a public-private partnership model, with financing coming entirely from the private sector.

According to the plans presented, the waterway will measure 360 meters wide and 21 meters deep. Six bridges spanning the canal will add approximately $1.4 billion (₺53.2 billion) to the overall budget.

The project envisions creating two new settlements on opposite banks of the canal, housing 100,000 residents on one side and 65,000 on the other.

The development will also include two logistics centers, a technology hub and an exhibition area.

Material excavated during construction will be used to create a new landfill area along the Black Sea coast, where a new port will also be built.

The ministry has branded the area where land, rail, air, and sea transportation networks will converge as “Istanbul Valley.”

The Istanbul Canal represents one of Türkiye’s most ambitious infrastructure initiatives in recent history. The project officially began in June 2021 with the groundbreaking ceremony for the Sazlıdere Bridge, the first of six planned spans.

According to government officials, the canal aims to reduce maritime traffic through the Bosphorus, ensure safer navigation, and strengthen Türkiye’s position in global trade. When completed, it will be approximately 45 kilometers (27.9 miles) long, with a minimum base width of 275 meters.

While development proceeds, legal challenges remain. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has filed lawsuits against zoning plans, arguing that designated construction areas encroach on agricultural lands, forests and water basins, potentially threatening the region’s ecological balance.