As Syrian war shuts down trade routes, Turkish business improvises
As Syrian war shuts down trade routes, Turkish business improvises Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post - A Greek cruise ship that has been transformed into a cargo ship sits in the port in Iskenderun, Turkey. Turkish exporters who would normally transport their goods via roads through Syria have had to ship their goods by way of the Mediterranean Sea. By Kevin Sullivan , Saturday, May 25, E-mail the writer ISKENDERUN, Turkey — The Nissos Rodos, a 630-foot ferry, once cruised the Greek islands, moving tourists from one sunny paradise to the next. Business dried up when the Greek economic crisis hit three years ago. But then came the war in Syria, creating new opportunity. So now the Nissos Rodos is based here in southern Turkey, where it carries Turkish 18-wheelers filled with vegetables or textiles to lucrative Middle Eastern markets, allowing truckers to sail around war-ravaged Syria instead of driving through it. The pres...