Ankara, — Turkey has officially unveiled two new state-of-the-art deep-sea drilling vessels, Yıldırım and Çağrı Bey, as part of its push to expand offshore oil and gas exploration, officials said.
The ships are expected to begin their first operations in the Black Sea and off the coast of Somalia, underlining Ankara’s growing ambitions in the global energy sector and its broader strategic outreach.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the move marked a major step toward strengthening Turkey’s energy independence.
“By using our own vessels, national technology and Turkish engineers, we are confidently moving toward our major energy goals,” Bayraktar said.
Turkey has in recent years significantly increased investment in the exploration and drilling of natural resources in a bid to curb its reliance on imported energy. Operations in the Black Sea are focused primarily on natural gas, while planned activities near Somalia involve oil and gas exploration that could open new economic opportunities for the region.
Energy analysts say the deployment of the two vessels could bolster Turkey’s standing in global energy markets and influence emerging energy partnerships in East Africa, particularly with Somalia.
Ankara has steadily expanded its presence in offshore exploration, framing energy security as a key pillar of its economic and foreign policy strategy.
