On June 11th, 2023, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (“Ministry”) has published a press release on its website with regards to the implementation of a new tariff concerning the fees levied on transit passages of commercial ships through the Turkish Straits, namely the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, two internationally significant waterways connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea.
Since 1936, the signing date of the Montreux Convention, ships passing through the Turkish Straits have been subject to a certain fee which is calculated on the basis of the “Gold Franc” currency. Accordingly, vessels transiting the straits were subject to a fee of 0.8063 US Dollars per net ton since 1983. The fee was raised to 4.08 US Dollars through a Presidential Decision for the first time after 39 years on October 7th, 2022.
Starting from July 1st, 2023, a further adjustment shall be applicable with an increase by 8.3% from 4.08 US Dollars to 4.42 US Dollars per net ton.
The Ministry also announced that the transit fees shall be updated on annual basis.
