Türkiye's shipbuilding sector is at a workforce inflection point. With 140+ vessels in active build across the top yards heading into Q3 2026, demand for skilled industrial trades is outpacing what the domestic labour market can supply.
This brief draws on our day-to-day operational data from sourcing trades into Turkish yards through Q1. It's intended as a practical reference for crewing managers and procurement leaders.
The orderbook in numbers
Across Türkiye's twelve largest shipbuilders — Sefine (22 vessels), Tersan (18), Beşiktaş, Sedef, Kuzey Star, Cemre, ADIK, RMK Marine, DEARSAN, Istanbul Shipyard, Gemak, URSA — current contracts translate to thousands of cumulative trade-positions across 2026–2027.
That figure does not include refit, repair or unscheduled deployments.
Three trends shaping supply
1. The top of the certification ladder is tight
6G-certified TIG and SMAW welders are particularly scarce. Our recruitment offices in India and Nepal report a 23% year-on-year decline in available 6G welders, driven primarily by aggressive hiring from Korean and Vietnamese yards. ICATS painters and certified pipe-fitters follow the same pattern.
Where eighteen months ago a 50-welder requirement could be filled in four weeks, today the same brief takes eight to ten weeks.
2. Yard mobilisation expectations have compressed
Q1 2024 contracts allowed 4–6 months from signature to on-site. Current yard expectations are 6–10 weeks. Yards that maintain pre-vetted trade pools (or partner with suppliers who do) preserve scheduling flexibility. Yards that recruit reactively are paying premium rates for emergency mobilisations.
3. Türkiye Law 6735 is stable but tightening
Work-permit processing under Law 6735 is averaging 6–8 weeks for first-time Indian and Nepali applicants. However, embassy-attestation backlogs in Kathmandu and document-verification queues in Andhra Pradesh are extending by an additional 1–2 weeks heading into Q2.
Practical implications
Pre-position rather than react. Yards locking trade allocations 12 weeks ahead are securing better quality at lower premiums.
Specify certifications upfront. Briefs that say "6G TIG with mild and stainless" rather than just "welders" cut mobilisation by 1–2 weeks.
Lock supply terms now. The 23% decline in 6G welder availability is structural, not seasonal. Late commitments will increasingly compete on rate, not access.
The bottom line: yards committing to Q4 2026 trade hires should be moving on supply contracts in the next 4–6 weeks. The corridor is operationally healthy now. It will be more constrained by autumn.
For yards with active orderbooks who'd like to discuss specific trade gaps, please get in touch via the contact form or directly at contact@jegosuab.eu.