Web Alert: Security situation in Turkey

Following the recent attempted military coup in Turkey, the situation now appears to be calming.

The declaration of a three-month state of emergency as of 21 July 2016 is not expected to affect the Turkish ports in any significant manner. We understand that all ports remain fully operational with no abnormalities reported.

The Turkish Chamber of Shipping issued a short statement on 16 July 2016 reassuring the maritime community that transits in and out of the Black Sea, Marmara Sea, Dardanelles and Istanbul Strait are open to all maritime traffic, despite the temporary suspension of traffic that lasted for around five hours overnight on 15 July 2016. Whilst some delays may be expected on sailing and ship clearances due to increased security measures, all official transactions, including custom formalities, are being conducted as usual.

The security situation remains potentially volatile on the borders with Syria but the coastal areas do not appear to be affected. For further information, we suggest members visit the United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

The club recommends that our members contact their local agents and the club's correspondents for the latest information before calling at Turkish ports. The advice of the local authorities should always be followed.

This article intends to provide general guidance on the issues. It is not intended to be a definitive guide and the local security situation may change in a short period of time.

If a member has any questions in relation to this subject, they should not hesitate to contact the authors of this article or their usual club contact.

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