Turkey has amended the directive on regulating vessel traffic in the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits

The Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (General Directorate of Maritime Affairs) has published an amended directive on the regulation of vessel traffic in the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits, which will come into force on Monday, October 13.

The main changes in the directive: container ships with an overall length of 300 m and more are allowed to pass through the night.

In order to ensure traffic planning for container and passenger ships with a length of 300 m and more when passing through the Dardanelles, a requirement has been introduced: any changes to the declared time of arrival by more than 30 minutes must be reported no later than 6 hours.

The total permissible length of towed caravans accompanied by tugboats under the Turkish flag and belonging to companies engaged in underwater technical works and port construction has been increased from 90 to 120 m.

LNG tankers of 150-199.99 m in length, passing in ballast, are allowed to pass through the Dardanelles at night with a pilot and accompanied by a tugboat.

In order to relieve vessel traffic in the Dardanelles Strait, reduce waiting times at anchorage/drift and increase navigational safety, the following has been added to Article 15 of the Directive “General Rules for the Passage of Vessels through the Turkish Straits”, which regulates the use of pilots and tugboats: time, with a pilot and accompanied by tugboats in the number and power specified in subparagraph (e) of paragraph 1 of Article 7 and 9 of the Directive, to the following categories of vessels: a) vessels of 200 m in length and over (as defined in subparagraph (t)(3) of paragraph 1 of Article 2 of the Directive); all vessels, other than passenger vessels, of 250 m in length and over, not carrying dangerous goods; vessels of 250 m in length and over (as defined in subparagraph (t)(2) of paragraph 1 of Article 2 of the Directive).

Tags: Bosphorus