31.05.2026 14:00
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that travel time to Amik Plain will be reduced from 1 hour to 5 minutes via massive tunnels passing under the Amanos Mountains as part of the ongoing Dörtyol-Hassa Railway and Highway Project in Hatay.
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu made a written statement regarding the Amanos Tunnels Project. Minister Uraloglu announced that within the scope of the ongoing Dörtyol-Hassa Railway and Highway Project in Hatay, they will connect the Southeastern Anatolia Region to the Port of Iskenderun via the shortest route through giant tunnels passing under the Amanos Mountains.
"OUR PORTS' HINTERLAND WILL EXPAND"
Uraloglu stated that the project will significantly increase the region's production, trade, and logistics capacity. Noting that Anatolia has historically been at the center of trade corridors such as the Silk Road, Spice Road, and King's Road, Uraloglu said that Turkey continues to be one of the most critical transit points of global trade with its strategic location today. Emphasizing that the Amanos Tunnels Project rising in Hatay is not just a transportation investment, Uraloglu said, "With this project, Turkey's production power will meet the sea faster, and our ports' hinterland will expand. We will transport the agricultural production of the Amik Plain, along with the industrial and export capacity of Southeastern Anatolia, to the Port of Iskenderun more quickly. Travel time to the Amik Plain will be reduced from one hour to five minutes."
"THE WORLD'S FIRST FUNCTIONAL TRIPLE TUBE PROJECT"
Stating that within the scope of the project, 2 highway tunnels and 1 railway tunnel, each approximately 20 kilometers long, will be built to pass under the Amanos Mountains, Uraloglu said, "Our tunnels, with a total length of 60 kilometers, will be the world's first functional triple tube project." Uraloglu noted that the railway line is planned to be a total of 55 kilometers, and the 4-lane highway is planned to be 25 kilometers long. Expressing that the tunnel structures providing the Amanos crossing will be implemented in the first phase, Uraloglu stated that the highway connection will branch off from the Toprakkale-Iskenderun Highway and connect to Hassa via Dörtyol.
"INDUSTRIAL CENTERS WILL ACCESS PORT OF ISKENDERUN FASTER"
Uraloglu stated that the existing transportation provided from the northern and southern ends of the Amanos Mountains will be significantly shortened, and thanks to the project, industrial centers in the region will access the Port of Iskenderun faster. Uraloglu stated, "The Kilis-Osmaniye-Iskenderun route will be shortened by 38.3 kilometers, the Kırıkhan-Iskenderun-Dörtyol route by 15.27 kilometers, and the Nurdağı-Osmaniye-Dörtyol route by 20.6 kilometers. The transportation distance between Dörtyol-Kırıkhan-Hassa will decrease by 53.4 kilometers. We will also achieve a reduction of approximately 30 kilometers on the Payas-Fevzipaşa railway line." Emphasizing that the project will significantly accelerate Gaziantep's connections to Mersin and Iskenderun, Uraloglu stated that production centers in Southeastern Anatolia and Eastern Anatolia will be more strongly integrated into world markets through the Port of Iskenderun.
"1.55 BILLION EURO FINANCING SECURED"
Noting that the financing process for the project has been completed, Uraloglu said, "Within the scope of credit agreements led by Societe Generale, a total financing of 1.55 billion euros has been secured. The credit agreement came into force with the Presidential Decree, and we have completed the site handover. Our mobilization efforts are currently ongoing. With this project, the Port of Iskenderun will become one of the most strategic trade gates of the Eastern Mediterranean. One end of our tunnels will open to Turkey's increasing production capacity, and the other end to global trade corridors."
"WE WILL CONTINUE TO CROSS MOUNTAINS AND SHORTEN DISTANCES"
Uraloglu also stated that the project will serve as critical infrastructure in terms of civil and national defense when necessary, saying, "With the vision of the Century of Türkiye, we continue to cross mountains and shorten distances. The Amanos Mountains will now serve Turkey's production power."