Discussion with Abdullah Tuncay, Director of Global Sales & Marketing at Umut Marine
How did you enter the maritime industry?
A friend introduced me to the maritime sector. From there, through work and events, including international shipping conferences, I met many professionals, and built valuable connections for the company. In this industry, the more people you know, the better.
Previously, I led various digital transformation projects including program implementations and software integrations. One of my recent projects was on field automation, monitoring all activities on the ground through a system. That kind of thinking helps me in my current work in technical ship supply.
What surprised you most about the maritime industry?
Coming from the petroleum sector, I was used to long-term contracts. What struck me about the maritime industry is how intensely competitive and dynamic it is. There’s constant bidding, constant movement, and each request is essentially a new tender.
What also stood out to me was the culture; many maritime firms value enjoyable experiences through events and gatherings. It’s rare to find a sector where everyone seems so competent and committed, I’ve met incredibly knowledgeable, down-to-earth people in this space. I haven't come across anyone who didn’t belong here.
What does Umut Denizcilik do?
Umut Denizcilik has been in the industry for more than 25 years, with a strong focus on technical ship supply. Our biggest strength is our experienced team with deep technical knowledge. The team understands exactly what materials ships
need and can even spot mistakes in requests, allowing us to warn clients early and avoid costly return processes. Returns are a major issue in this industry. Once a vessel departs, it's hard to fix anything. That’s why we've worked hard to minimize these situations, and it’s something our clients value highly.
We operate a 3,000 m² warehouse which allows us to fulfill most orders quickly from stock. When a vessel sends a request, we usually already have the needed items in inventory, which speeds up the response time significantly.
Our priority is always fast, accurate responses, and high-quality materials. That’s what we consistently hear from our clients; it’s why they trust and continue working with us. And that’s something we take real pride in as a team.”
How do you make difference?
The most important thing for us is understanding what the customer wants. We never send out a quote until we’re confident we’ve understood the request fully. Some clients want cost-effective solutions; others want premium materials and knowing the difference is key. We focus on delivering the right quality at the right price, and this begins with listening carefully.
Another top priority is speed. Clients expect fast responses, so we’ve integrated digital systems to streamline our internal processes. Depending on the size of the list, we can typically respond within 2–3 hours, sometimes even faster.
Tell us a time when you went above and beyond for a client.
A vessel needed a specific technical part that simply wasn’t available anywhere in the local market, not even internationally. We got the measurements and replicated the part through a local manufacture with right materials and dimensions, and delivered it right to the port all before the ship arrived. It was a perfect fit, no issues at all. The client was extremely grateful!
How do you use maritime intelligence?
We actively use MagicPort to identify and reach out to potential customers. For us, every vessel coming to Turkey is a potential customer. Each morning, I download the latest report from MagicPort showing vessels scheduled to arrive at Turkish ports. We use this data to proactively reach out to vessels. MagicPort helps us identify and act on those opportunities quickly and effectively.”
MagicPort is flexible and continuously evolving. More importantly, the team behind it is dynamic and genuinely listens. They are open to feedback and new ideas. Having a support team that truly listens and is committed to constant improvement is huge value.
