Сost of passage through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits will increase by 15%

UkrAgroConsult

Starting July 1, 2025, Turkey will raise the cost of passage through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits by 15% as part of an annual tariff review, announced Transport Minister Abdülkadir Uraloğlu. The new rate will be $5.83 per ton, driven by rising gold prices, which reached $3,320 per ounce as of June 13. “This is the fourth stage of tariff revisions initiated by a presidential decree in 2022,” the minister was quoted by NTV.

Since the tariff review began in 2022, the cost of passage has increased 7.2 times, compared to the previous rate of $0.8 per ton, which had remained unchanged for 39 years. Uraloğlu noted that the collected fees will fund coastal services, rescuers, and medical personnel. The straits are critical for maritime traffic, connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean via the Sea of Marmara.

The Bosporus and Dardanelles, 190 km apart and separated by the Sea of Marmara, are vital maritime routes. Ships traveling from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean pass through the Bosporus, where Istanbul is located, then through the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles. The fee increase could impact international trade, particularly grain and energy shipments from the Black Sea region.

Tags: Black Sea region