About Our IDEAS

ideas-logoIstanbul Maritime Strategies and Research Institute (IDEAS Institute) is an independent research company which mainly concentrates on analysing and promoting competitiveness of Turkish shipping in general. Providing strategic insight, proactive analysis of the shipping markets in general and economic research focussing on both global maritime market and the European short-sea shipping grounds spanning Black Sea, Mediterranean and Northern European sea basins.

IDEAS Institute also owns ISTFIX, Istanbul Freight Index, which concentrates on 2.000 to 10.000 dwt bulk carrier / general cargo vessels (also referred to as “coasters”) trading across Black Sea – Mediterranean waters since 2008. ISTFIX provides regular reports compiled from information and fixture data gathered from owners, brokers and operators in the region.

IDEAS Institute’s mission is to become a reliable source of maritime strategic knowledge supporting Turkish shipping cluster as a whole and help Turkey become a bigger shipping nation, while it has a vision to become the leading maritime strategic institute in Turkey shaping Turkey’s maritime strategies.

Mr. Salih Zeki Çakır – Chairman
Salih Zeki Çakır was born in Of/Trabzon in 1957 and graduated from Turkish Merchant Marine Academy in 1979. He worked onboard commercial vessels as officer and captain for a period, later on enrolling in Norway Oslo Shipping Academy and Istanbul University Political Sciences Faculty. During 1987 & 1988 he held office as Tramp Chartering Department Branch Manager in Turkish Cargo Lines. Between 1988 and 2015 he established and managed many countries both in Turkey and abroad. Çakır is also the founder of Piri Reis Shipping Foundation. He ran for Turkish Chamber of Shipping Chair in 2013, prior to which he was Vice President of Turkish Shipbuilders’ Association (GİSBİR) as he is a shareholder in Sefine Shipyard. He  founded Association of Turkish Coaster Owners & Operators in 2014, and has recently been elected as chairman for the second term. Çakır is also the managing director of Istanbul Freight Index. He speaks fluent English and is father of four.

Mr. Engin Koçak – Chief Analyst
Engin Koçak, was born in Istanbul in 1981. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from Yildiz Technical University and an MBA degree on Finance from Istanbul Technmical University. Engin Koçak joined Istanbul branch of Rotterdam based boutique ship finance brokers FinShip in 2006 and became a Senior Associate in due course, specializing in financial analysis, wet & dry short sea shipping markets, debt and equity financing as well as restructuring and distressed loans. In early 2011 he joined ISTFIX, (Istanbul Freight Index) and has been leading the short sea research since then. Aside from coastal general cargo business, Engin Koçak is also specialized in global seaborne LPG markets research. Koçak is married with one child.

The information contained in this website is intended for viewer’s information and may not be further distributed, in any part, to any third party, without prior written permission of İstanbul Denizcilik Araştırmaları ve Stratejileri Enstitüsü A.Ş. (hereinafter IDEAS). This information and any other IDEAS intellectual property may not be reproduced, re-disseminated or used to create any financial products, including any indices.

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