BANDIRMA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DELEGATION VISITS THE ST. PETERSBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

18.05.2026

 

 

As part of its official program in St. Petersburg, a delegation from the Bandırma Chamber of Commerce visited the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where they met with Chamber President Vladimir Katenev and senior Chamber officials.

The high-level meeting focused on strengthening institutional relations between the two Chambers, enhancing commercial ties between the business communities of Bandırma and St. Petersburg, promoting sectoral cooperation, expanding foreign trade opportunities, and exploring areas of mutual economic interest.

The Bandırma Chamber of Commerce delegation included Bahadır Çolak, Chairman of the Board; Armağan Ahmet Ergüzeloğlu, Treasurer of the Board; Board Members Osman Lafçı and Ceyhun Cihat Yıldırım; Vice Chairman of the Assembly Bilgen Süngü; Assembly Member Recep Akay; and Chamber staff member Ali Sidat. The meeting was hosted by Vladimir Katenev, President of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, together with senior Chamber representatives.

Strengthening Institutional Cooperation and Foreign Trade

During the meeting, Chairman Bahadır Çolak introduced the Bandırma Chamber of Commerce as one of the leading business organizations in the region, representing nearly 3,000 member companies operating in industry, trade, manufacturing, agriculture, food production, livestock, logistics, and services.

He highlighted Bandırma’s strategic location on the Sea of Marmara and its excellent transportation links with major economic centers such as İstanbul, Bursa, İzmir, Balıkesir, and Çanakkale. Emphasizing the city's strong port infrastructure and logistics capabilities, Chairman Çolak described Bandırma as a rapidly developing center for production, industry, and international trade.

He also noted that Bandırma’s strengths in port services, industrial infrastructure, agriculture, food production, and livestock make it well positioned for international trade and stated that the relationship established with the St. Petersburg Chamber could serve as an important foundation for long-term cooperation between the two business communities.

Chairman Çolak emphasized that the Chamber attaches great importance to helping its members access international markets through stronger institutional partnerships with chambers of commerce around the world. He expressed his hope that the visit would lead to sustainable cooperation through business matchmaking, sector-specific partnerships, B2B meetings, and other concrete collaborative initiatives rather than remaining a ceremonial visit.

He further stressed that direct communication between the two Chambers would help companies identify reliable business partners, gain valuable market intelligence, and develop stronger commercial relationships.

Overview of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry

President Vladimir Katenev and Chamber officials provided an overview of the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, introducing its organizational structure, membership, international activities, and business support services.

They noted that the Chamber has more than 400 members and approximately 110 employees, organizing numerous conferences, business meetings, trade events, and networking activities throughout the year. The Chamber actively supports the regional business community by providing assistance in foreign trade, business development, institutional representation, international cooperation, and sector-specific networking.

The meeting also highlighted St. Petersburg's importance as one of Russia's leading centers for trade, industry, and tourism, with significant cooperation opportunities in food production, fisheries, manufacturing, imports, supply chains, tourism, and services.

Türkiye as a Key Trade Partner

Participants discussed the growing commercial relationship between Türkiye and St. Petersburg. Chamber representatives emphasized that Türkiye is one of the region's most important trading partners and that there is considerable potential for expanding cooperation in food products, industrial goods, tourism, services, and supply chains.

They also noted that St. Petersburg is interested in increasing imports from Türkiye and that stronger cooperation with reliable Turkish companies operating in appropriate sectors could significantly enhance bilateral trade.

The discussion highlighted St. Petersburg's substantial foreign trade volume and identified several product groups with strong potential for increased bilateral trade. Maintaining active communication channels between the two Chambers and facilitating reliable business connections between companies were recognized as essential steps toward achieving this objective.

Sectoral Experience in Trade with Russia

Board Member Ceyhun Cihat Yıldırım shared practical insights based on his company's experience in importing feed raw materials from Russia.

He outlined the challenges companies may encounter regarding logistics, delivery times, payment systems, banking procedures, sourcing reliable suppliers, and customs processes. He also emphasized that Bandırma and its surrounding region possess significant strengths in livestock production, animal feed, agriculture, and food processing, creating substantial opportunities for bilateral trade in feed ingredients, agricultural products, food supplies, and livestock-related industries.

Yıldırım further noted that Bandırma's strategic port facilities, transportation network, and industrial infrastructure provide significant advantages for both imports from and exports to Russia.

Priority Sectors for Future Cooperation

Representatives from both Chambers exchanged views on sectors with strong cooperation potential.

The Bandırma delegation highlighted the region's strengths in livestock, animal feed, agriculture-based industries, food production, logistics, port services, and international trade. Meanwhile, the St. Petersburg representatives emphasized opportunities in food products, fisheries, tourism, services, imports, supply chains, and manufacturing.

It was observed that Bandırma's strong agricultural and food production capacity aligns well with St. Petersburg's import and supply requirements, creating promising opportunities for future cooperation.

Tourism Opportunities

Tourism was also discussed as a potential area for collaboration. Participants noted that St. Petersburg is one of Russia's leading tourist destinations and receives millions of visitors annually.

It was emphasized that Türkiye continues to be one of the preferred destinations for Russian tourists, creating opportunities for joint promotional activities, cultural exchanges, and tourism partnerships. The Bandırma delegation also introduced the region's potential in coastal, cultural, historical, gastronomic, and nature tourism.

B2B Cooperation on the Agenda

One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the mutual interest in organizing future business-to-business (B2B) meetings between companies from both regions.

The Bandırma Chamber of Commerce reaffirmed its commitment to helping its members establish new international business connections and expand their export opportunities. Both Chambers agreed on the importance of maintaining close communication, organizing sector-based business matchmaking activities, holding online meetings, and facilitating B2B events in sectors with strong cooperation potential.

President Vladimir Katenev and his colleagues expressed their willingness to continue developing relations and explore concrete cooperation projects in the future.

Meeting Concludes with Goodwill

The meeting provided an excellent opportunity for both Chambers to exchange information and discuss practical ways of strengthening commercial relations between the business communities of Bandırma and St. Petersburg.

At the conclusion of the visit, both sides expressed their mutual commitment to maintaining close communication and exploring future areas of cooperation. The Bandırma Chamber of Commerce delegation thanked President Vladimir Katenev and the Chamber officials for their warm hospitality and productive discussions.

The visit concluded with the exchange of commemorative gifts and a group photograph.