An updated Directive of Maritime Traffic Regulations for the Turkish Straits has been published by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, General Directorate of Maritime Affairs, and will come into force on Monday, 13 October, GAC Türkiye said in a statement.
Container vessels with a LOA of 300 meters and over will be allowed to transit during night time. To ensure effective traffic planning for container and passenger ships with a LOA of 300 meters and over during their passage through the Dardanelles, a regulation has been added requiring the VTS Center to be notified of any changes more than 30 minutes to the declared arrival time of the ships at least 6 hours in advance.
The tow length allowed for passage by Turkish-flagged tugboats belonging to companies engaged in submarine water services and port construction has been increased from 90 meters to 120 meters.
LPG vessels in ballast condition with a LOA of 150–199.99 meters will be allowed to transit during night time at the Dardanelles with a pilot and escort tug.
To ease maritime traffic in the Dardanelles, reduce the waiting time spent at anchor or drifting by vessels, and increase navigational safety, the following has been added to regulations regarding the Dardanelles in Article 15 of the Directive titled “General Rules of Passage for Vessels in the Turkish Straits”, which includes regulations on the use of pilots and tugboats: “It is strongly recommended that the vessels specified below carry out their passage through the Dardanelles, including at night, under the guidance of a pilot and accompanied by tugboats of the number and power specified in subparagraph (e) of the first paragraph of Article 7, 9 of this Directive.
a) Vessels with an LOA of 200 meters and over, as specified in subparagraph (3) of subparagraph (t) of the first paragraph of Article 2 of this Directive.
b) All vessels, excluding passenger ships, with an LOA of 250 meters and over, not carrying dangerous cargo.
c) Vessels with an LOA of 250 meters and over, as specified in subparagraph (2) of subparagraph (t) of the first paragraph of Article 2 of this Directive.”
GAC Türkiye is a Turkish entity of the privately held GAC Group, an international shipping, logistics, and marine services provider. In Türkiye, it operates as a commercial service provider to vessel operators and cargo interests.
