The History of our Foundation

Our alumni sailing to the United States of America to bring the ships bought for our country within the framework of the USA Marshall Plan put forward an idea to establish an Association at the position of 36 N, 32 W when they were sailing along the North Atlantic in M/S BAKIR ship for their 3rd voyage on 7th of September 1947.

The crew consisting of 23 members, gathered in the crew hall under Master Nezihi Arda, the Chief Officer Naci Tansev, 3rd Officer Namık Asena, and the 4th Officer Kemal Gürdal.

Among the captains who were present in the meeting, Captain Namık Asena, Captain Nezihi Arda, Naci Tansev, Captain Necdet Or, Captain Seyfi Gezer, Zeki Derinsu, Pehlivan Bedri, Zeki Captain, Captain Vahit Okan, Suat Esendal, Captain Hasan Tekin, Turgut Engin, Necati Sansa, Captain Kemal Gürdal, Selahattin Yenice, Captain Nuri Yılmaz, Captain Muhsin Abay, Nuri Eren, Yusuf Yelkenkaya, Yusuf Captain, Şekip Captain, Ali Güner, and Sabri Cerensu immediately declared that they would be among the members of such an Association. They laid the foundation of our Association by pooling 146.50 Turkish Liras for the Association.

As a result of such unity, the Higher Maritime School Alumni Association was founded in the first week of August in 1949. Afterward, the name of our association was replaced with ITU Maritime Faculty Alumni Association after our school's name was changed as well.

The first founding president was Captain Namık Asena who was the Boatswain Officer of 1942. They carried out the activities of the board of management in a small area currently called Persembe Bazaar which was once called Istanbul Yag Kapani during the time which the association was founded. For the board of management, Captain Reşit Uğur, Engineer Emrullah Erkan, Engineer Halit Aptioğlu, Engineer Memduh Ataç, Engineer M. Ali Gökyılmaz, Engineer Ahmet Keşkek, Captain Refik Akdoğan were elected.

The head office of our association which was purchased with a great effort of the deceased Cemil Arıksan in 1967 has been carrying out its activities in the same address.

Our presidents who had remained in charge since the foundation of the Association are the following Captain Namık Asena, Captain Cemil Arıksan, Engineer Tahsin Bahadır, Captain Abdullah Özaslan, Engineer Zihni Güler, Captain Kamil Atay, Engineer Metin Menteş, Captain Güneri Özkan, Engineer Erkan Dereli, Captain Gündüz Aybay, Captain İlhan Önerdem, Captain M. Atilla Kocataş, and Captain Erol Gözen.