The UK Club has received the following update from correspondents, Omur Marine, regarding regulation of marine traffic in Turkish straits.

QUOTE

In line with the aforementioned alteration which was promulgated in 28/07/2017 dated Turkish Official Gazette, it has been enabled for the vessels performing transit passage through Turkish Straits to stay/wait at the anchorage area for 168 hours without free pratique in lieu of 48 hours prior to the change. However such time period could be shorten by the local authorities under their discretion which has also been newly inserted into the relevant article.

Besides, by means of the recent amendments set in the last subsection of the relevant article, although the vessels which demands/requests to stay longer than the designated hour, are still obliged to anchor to the area provided by the authorities; those shall be subjected to the health investigation/inspection in addition to the safety, custom and other relevant inspections, investigation as previously.

UNQUOTE