Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Ullaloglu announced a readjustment of fees levied on ships passing through the Turkish straits without going through the route.
Minister Ullaloglu recalled that on October 7, 2022, the Bosphorus tolls were increased for the first time in 39 years, and said, “As a result of the work carried out with the relevant agencies under the coordination of the Commander-in-Chief of our country, effective July 1, 2024. The General Directorate for Maritime Affairs, based on the President’s decision, is preparing a new update on the Bosphorus tolls,” he said.
“We will increase our fees to $5.07.”
Ullaloglu reminded that the provisions of the Montreux Turkish Straits Convention also apply to Bosphorus tolls, and continued:
“Previously, a fee of $0.80 was collected on the fixed price from 1983 until October 7, 2022. After 39 years, a presidential decree on October 7, 2022 updated these fees, increasing them by almost five times to $4.08. On July 1, 2023, this fee was increased to $4.42. Now, a new update will be made effective from July 1, 2024, increasing the fee to $5.07.”
“From 1983 to 2022, for about 39 years, the fees remained constant and were not updated,” Ullalor said, adding that “in accordance with the presidential decision, the fees are being updated annually from 2022 onwards. Going forward, the updates will continue on July 1 every year,” he said.
Crossing the Bosphorus was regulated by the Montreal-Turkish Straits Treaty
According to the Montreux Turkish Straits Convention, ships passing through the Turkish Straits without calling at ports are charged for three items: health inspection services, lighthouse services and salvage services, Ullaloglu said, adding that “in calculating the fees, the net tonnage (NRT) is taken into consideration. The unit of tonnage (NRT) is calculated based on the price of an ounce of gold, which is based on the “Golden Franc,” the statement said.
“Increasing revenue from the Straits”
Referring to the data from the last price update, Minister Ullalor concluded by saying:
“If we consider a ship of 10,000 net tonnage, this ship paid a total of $3,240 in fees for lighthouse, rescue and medical service items before the first renewal in 2022. From July 1, 2024, this ship will pay a total of $20,370 in fees. This means that with this renewal, the fees will be 6.3 times higher than before 2022. In this way, the inflow of foreign currency to the national treasury will increase. “With the fees we collect, we are continuously improving the necessary infrastructure and traffic monitoring systems to increase maritime safety and security, as well as environmental safety, in the Turkish Strait, one of the most dangerous narrow waterways in the world.”
