Turkish load engineers contribute $10B to economy in past 25 years

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish load engineers, who have worked on major projects such as Istanbul Airport and the Osmangazi Bridge, have contributed $10 billion to the Turkish economy over the last 25 years, the Association of Load Engineering Services (YMB) said.

Load engineers, who carry heavy, wide, high, and long loads by performing the necessary physical and mathematical calculations, play a critical role in the realization of billion-dollar megaprojects, the association said in a press statement issued on Thursday.

The association head, Ahmet Altunkum, said the sector's contributions could reach $50 billion in 2050 with easing conditions and incentives.

Noting that load engineering work is not a simple lifting and transporting operation, Altunkum said the sector has carried out many megaprojects such as the Osmangazi and Yavuz Sultan Selim bridges, all steel works of Istanbul Airport, installations of machines at Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, boilers at Star Refinery, 81-meter long blades of 12,000-megawatt wind power plant, and ships.

"The transportation, lifting, and installation of any kind of industrial equipment are done by load engineers. As an association, we are working with all stakeholders to ensure that the importance and value of this profession is perceived correctly,” he said.

Altunkum noted that the load engineering services market grew by 64% year on year in the first half of 2023, and that "81% of the companies made this growth without any grants or support."