6 February 2023 (Lloyd's List) - ISKENDERUN and Mersin container ports in Türkiye have suspended operations following major earthquakes in the region which have claimed the lives of over 2,500 people. Parts of the Iskenderun port collapsed after the earthquake and operations were halted, according to a statement from the Turkish directorate of maritime affairs. Port operator Limak said some containers were damaged. No one was injured. Mersin International Port has halted operations until February 7 as a precaution, although the quake has not damaged the terminal, the port authority said in a press release. The earthquake caused no damage to oil pipelines in Türkiye, local gas and oil pipeline operator Botas said in a statement. No damage was reported to any other commercial ports in the region, which includes two main tanker terminals in Ceyhan and Dortyol. Vessels at Ceyhan were ordered to move to anchoring areas, as the port was shut because of adverse weather for at least one day. Mersin and Iskenderun were Türkiye’s third and seventh biggest ports in terms of container handling in the past year, respectively, official statistics showed. The region is key to Türkiye’s seaborne energy import and export infrastructure, with multiple crude oil, refined product and coal terminals. Türkiye’s Ceyhan port, which loads Azeri and Iraqi Kurdistan crude, is in the region, although there was no damage reported to the terminal. Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government halted crude flows to Ceyhan as a precaution, according to Bloomberg. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a week of official mourning following the 7.8 magnitude quake. The initial earthquake was followed several hours later by another measuring 7.5, according to the US Geological Survey. Many people are reported to be trapped in the rubble and the death toll is expected to rise. The combined death toll across Turkey and Syria is at least 2,600, according to Reuters. In Turkey, the death toll stood at 1,651, the news agency cited Health Minister Fahrettin Koca as saying, with over 11,000 people were recorded as injured. At least 968 people were killed in Syria, according to figures from the Damascus government and rescue workers.