Why it enhances real estate investment potential
The Mersin Free Zone (Mersin Serbest Bölgesi) is a key economic driver for the city's development. It is Turkey's first free zone: according to the Turkish Ministry of Trade, the Mersin Free Zone was established in 1985. Free zones in Turkey are considered territories outside the country's customs zone and are designed to promote exports, manufacturing, international trade, and attract foreign investment.
For real estate buyers, this is important: Mersin is not just a seaside resort, but a major economic hub with a port, logistics, exports, manufacturing, and stable demand for housing.
Where is the Mersin Free Zone located?
The free economic zone is located in the Akdeniz / Mersin, next to the Mersin International Port. The zone is operated by MESBAŞ - Mersin Serbest Bölge Kurucu ve İşleticisi A.Ş.
According to official data from MESBAŞ, the zone has a direct connection to the Port of Mersin, its own port facilities, an area of 877 decares, approximately 600,000 m² of warehouse space, the capacity to handle up to 3 million tons of cargo per year and more than 400 registered companies.
Which companies operate in the Mersin Free Zone?
The free zone is home to 400 companies from various sectors: textiles, food, warehouse logistics, metal, auto parts, international trade, services, and industry.
Among the companies listed in the official register of MESBAŞ:
- 7BROS Tekstil Konfeksiyon San. ve Tic. A.Ş. — textiles
- AZ Teks. San. Tic. Ltd. Şti.
- ADEN KURU Gıda İth. İhr. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. — food
- ADİL Depo İnş. İşl. Ltd. Şti. — warehousing
- ADK Konfeksiyon San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. — textiles
- ALİ MOHAMED HIJAZI OĞULLARI Metalurji Plastik İnş. Oto. Gıda San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. - metal
- ALKADER TRADING Gıda Otom. Yed. Prç. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti. — auto parts
- ANTUAN MAKZUME Ul. Taş. Tic. Ltd. Şti. — warehousing
- ÇİMSA ÇİMENTO San. ve Tic. A.Ş. Mersin Serbest Bölge Şubesi
- COMTRADE TRADING LIMITED Mersin Serbest Bölge Şubesi
- COSTACHEM Polymer San. ve Tic. A.Ş.
- MEM-PA Tar. Ür. Pet. Inş. Nak. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
- MEMİŞOĞLU Tar. Ür. Tic. Ltd. Şti. Mersin Serbest Bölge Şubesi
- HÜMAY Ul. Loj. Gıda Nak. San. ve Tic. A.Ş.
- YILDIZTEKS Kumaş Gıda Teks. San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
These companies are listed based on MESBAŞ's public list of companies, which includes names, addresses, sectors of activity, and status. https://www.mesbas.com.tr/firmalar.html
What benefits do companies receive in Turkey's free zones?
Turkey's free zones offer companies a range of tax, customs and operational benefits.
According to the Turkish Ministry of Trade, manufacturing companies in free zones are exempt from corporate income tax on revenues from the sale of goods produced in the zone. There are also payroll tax breaks for manufacturers exporting at least 85% of the FOB value of their products, exemptions from stamp duties and customs duties on manufacturer transactions, no property tax in the zone, and a VAT exemption for logistics services to third countries.
Free zones also provide the opportunity to freely transfer profits to Turkey or abroad, purchase goods and services from Turkey without VAT, exempt certain goods from customs procedures, store goods without time limits, and operate in a more flexible bureaucratic environment.
How to get to the Mersin Free Zone
The company must obtain an Operating License / Faaliyet Ruhsatı – a license to operate in a free zone.
According to the official procedure of the Turkish Ministry of Trade, the applicant completes the form, pays the license fee to the Central Bank of Turkey, and submits the form, appendices, and bank receipt to the relevant free zone directorate. Following a positive assessment, the company signs a lease or purchase agreement for the operating premises with the zone operator and completes the company or branch registration. After submitting the lease agreement, trade registry data, and other documents, the license is issued by the General Directorate of Free Zones. https://www.trade.gov.tr/data/646b139213b87617e84fe993/Operating%20License%20Application%20Procedure.pdf
The MESBAŞ website also states that to apply in Mersin, one must fill out a form, deposit a USD 5,000 license fee into a special account at the Central Bank for free zones, and submit the documents to the Mersin Free Zone Authority.
https://www.mesbas.com.tr/en/serbest_bolge/investor-and-tenant-preference-times-13.html
License terms for companies
According to MESBAŞ, the license term depends on the format of work:
- for investor companies: 45 years for production, 30 years for other activities
- for tenant companies: 20 years for production, 15 years for other types of activities
These timeframes make the free zone convenient for long-term business planning.
Why the Free Zone is Important for Mersin's Real Estate Market
The free zone directly impacts the city's economy and housing demand. Mersin experiences not only seasonal demand, as in traditional resorts, but also constant demand from people involved in the port, logistics, exports, warehousing, manufacturing, trade, and service industries.
This creates several factors for the real estate market:
1. Stable rental demand.
Company employees, logisticians, specialists, managers, entrepreneurs, and foreign partners need medium- and long-term housing.
2. Growth of business activity.
The more companies and trade operations, the greater the demand for offices, warehouses, services, transportation, and housing.
3. Maintaining real estate liquidity.
Mersin isn't just a vacation spot. It has a real economy, so apartments are in demand beyond just the summer.
4. Interest of foreign investors.
The free zone facilitates international trade and is open to companies with 100% foreign capital or mixed Turkish-foreign capital.
How does this affect buying an apartment in Mersin?
For real estate buyers, the free economic zone is an additional selling point for Mersin. The city is developing as a port, trade, and logistics hub, not just a beach destination.
It means:
- more stable demand for rentals
- job development
- growth of business infrastructure
- increasing interest in areas with convenient access to the city center, port and transport routes
- long-term investment potential of real estate
Conclusion
The Mersin Free Zone is a strong economic driver for the region. Over 400 registered companies, port connections, warehouse infrastructure, export incentives, and international trade make Mersin a strategic city in southern Turkey.
For the real estate market, this means the most important thing: Mersin has not only the sea, but also an economy. This means that demand for housing is driven not only by tourists, but also by businesses, specialists, renters, and investors.
INCOME MERSIN recommends considering real estate in Mersin as an asset in a city with a real economic base, developing infrastructure and growth potential.
