Lucien Arkas is one of the most important shipowners in Turkey and also an expert of container short-sea transport in the Mediterrean arena.

Arkas's eponymous family run company has been in existence since 1902 and nowadays the group operates in many different fields, including logistics services that integrate sea, land, rail and air transportation, agency services, ship operations, port operations, bunkering, automotive, insurance services, information systems and cruise ship tourism. The Izmir-based firm currently has 57 offices, 14 in Turkey and 20 in other countries (mainly in the Mediterrranean region) and employs 6,500 people in Turkey and abroad in 62 different companies.

Looking at the present market condition in southern Europe, Arkas underlines that "the Mediterrean region is under great pressure. Shrinking volumes coupled with cascading and overtonnaging point to difficult times ahead".

"We have completed our programme for 2015 with the purchase of nine ships and in view of the general situation are adopting a wait and see policy," he says.

The fleet also includes five bunker barges operated by the fully owned Arkas Bunkering founded in 2006 and active in refuelling services for vessels in many ports around the world, including the Mediterranean and Black Seas.