391 Meters to Go Until the Continents Reunite

Oct 01, 2026

On the Bridge Project, the installation and welding of 42 of the 59 steel deck sections have been completed. Only 391 meters remain until the Asian and European sides are connected.

The first phase of steel deck installation has been completed on the Third Bosphorus Bridge, a project implemented by ICA. Installation and welding of 42 of the 59 steel decks—the heaviest of which weighs 923 metric tons—have been completed. Only 391 meters remain until the European and Asian continents meet once again. Steel deck installation and welding operations will resume after the installation of a new giant crane, known as the “Lifting Gantry,” is completed.

The Steel Deck Coordinator for the 3rd Bridge noted that, under normal circumstances, one steel deck is installed on each side every 9 days on average, adding, “A new phase has been reached in the steel deck installation process that began at the end of March. Including the D00 transition segment, 21 steel deck sections have been installed on both the European and Asian sides. With the installation of the final steel deck, the distance between the two continents has been reduced to 391 meters. Previously, cranes known as ‘Derrick Cranes’ were used in the steel deck installation process. Now, however, a different type of crane called a ‘Lifting Gantry’ will begin to be used. "With this crane, we will see all of the bridge’s deck panels installed on the 3rd Bosphorus Bridge within the coming months," he said.

A total of 1,500 people are working around the clock at three factory sites to manufacture the 59 steel deck panels. Steel sheets imported from South Korea are prepared for panel production at the manufacturing plant in Gebze, Izmit, and then sent to the factory in Tuzla, Istanbul, where panel production takes place. After the panels are produced, they are shipped to Altınova, Yalova, for the assembly of the steel deck sections.

IC İnşaat | 391 Meters to Go Until the Continents Reunite