The European Tugowners Association returns to Turkey in order to hold its 63rd Annual General Meeting (AGM). This time, delegates and guests will meet in the queen of all cities, Istanbul. The ETA 2026 AGM will take place from the 9th to the 12th of June and ETA members will stay at the Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel, by the Bosphorus, in the European side of the city. The event will be hosted by ETA local members Med Marine, Sanmar and Uzmar.
The Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel is a landmark five-star hotel on the Bosphorus. It offers spacious rooms and suites with magnificent views, elegant indoor and outdoor event spaces, landscaped gardens, and one of the city’s most distinctive infinity pools by the waterfront. The hotel also features multiple fine-dining venues, a luxury spa and wellness center, private terraces, and direct access to the Bosphorus promenade for a resort-style stay in the heart of Istanbul. 
The Annual Meeting days will be filled with events, during which full and associate members and industry leaders will discuss the present and future of the sector, network, and enjoy Turkish hospitality and culture.
As every year, the first day, Tuesday the 9th of June, is reserved for golfers and for our ETA tournament. This year´s competition will take place at the Mustafa V. Koç Golf Course, a contemporary golf facility set in a forested valley, featuring a strategically designed 9-hole layout, large USGA-standard greens, multiple tee options, lakes and streams and simulator rooms.
Members and partners will participate in an excursion on the morning of the 10th of June to the hidden side of Istanbul, the picturesque neighborhood of Kuzguncuk beyond the Bosphorus, on the Asian side of the city.
This year´s Annual Meeting and Executive Committee Meeting will take place in the afternoon of Wednesday, the 10th of June, at the Radisson Blu Bosphorus Hotel, a stone’s throw from the Ciragan Palace Kempinski, by the Bosphorus and right next to the magnificent Ortaköy mosque. The day will conclude with the welcome dinner organised by our three hosting members.
In the morning of the 11th of June we will have our ETA Conference Towage at the Frontline: Geopolitics, Military Mobility and Europe’s Maritime Security, at the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel. The conference will explore the EU’s evolving framework for the secure and rapid movement of military personnel and assets, highlighting the role of dual-use infrastructure and funding such as the Connecting Europe Facility. The Conference will be complemented by thematic sessions in the afternoon dedicated to specific topics such as the Greenport Alliance project and the acquisition of green skills by crews and cadets and another session on escort towage.
This year´s gala dinner will take place at the Çırağan palace, a 19th-century Ottoman building and former residence of Sultan Abdulaziz. The palace is renowned for its magnificent marble façades, grand ceremonial halls, ornate interiors, and spectacular waterfront setting, offering an exceptional backdrop for an unforgettable evening.
The 12th of June is reserved for the social day, participants may opt to relax with a visit to a traditional Turkish hamamm, Zeyrek Çinili museum and hammam, a recently restaured 500 years old hidden treasure in the heart of Istanbul which offers a unique and relaxing experience and a perfect conclusion to the week’s programme.
You can find the conference´s agenda here and the programme of the 63rd Annual Meeting here. Full and associate members can register fo the Annual General Meeting here and book their accommodation at preferential rates at the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul via the booking link shared by email and in our newsletter.
