Navigational and Environmental Safety in the Turkish Straits
1. The Turkish Straits, comprising the Straits of Çanakkale (Dardanelles), the Sea of Marmara and the Istanbul (Bosphorous) Straits, are unique in many respects. The very narrow and winding shape of the Straits is more akin to that of a river. It is an established fact that the Turkish Straits are one of the most hazardous, crowded, difficult and potentially dangerous waterways in the world for mariners. All the dangers and obstacles characteristic of narrow waterways are present and acute in this critical sea lane.
2. Chief characteristics / navigationaly risks
2.1 The Turkish Straits have unique physical hydrological and oceanographic characteristic and complicated navigational conditions prevail in the area.
2.2 The Straits of Istanbul (Bosphorous) runs right across Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey with a population of 10 million. The Bosphorous Strait forms part of the port of Istanbul. It is included within the port limits.
2.3 One of the lags of the two bridges in the Bosphorous is grounded in the waters of the Strait.
2.4 Bosphorous is approximately 31 km long, with an average width of 1.5 km. It is only 700 m wide at its narrowest. Bosphorous takes several sharp turns. The ships are bound to alter course at least 12 times at these bends. At the narrowest point, Kandilli (700 m), a 45' course alteration is required. The current can reach 7-8 knots at this point. At Yeniköy, the necessary course alteration is 80'.
2.5 At the turns (Kandilli and Yeniköy) where significant course alterations have to be made, the rear and forward sights are totally blocked prior to and during the course alteration. The ships approaching from the opposite direction cannot be seen round the bends.
2.6 The Sea Marmara is approximately 225 km long.
2.7 The length of the Straits of Çanakkale (Dardanelles) is about 70 km, with a general width ranging from 1.3 km to 2 km. A very sharp course alteration is needed at the narrowest point.
2.8 The ships in transit in the Turkish Straits must pass through 325 km of waters under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of Turkey. Overall transit time is about 16 hours.
2.9 Furthermore, strong currents and counter-currents (reaching 5 to 8 knots), constant change in their pattern, poor visibility due to thick fog, snow and rain are additional hazards in these narrow waterways.
3. Traffic Density
3.1 The Turkish Straits are one of the most crowded sea lanes in the world used for international navigation. Navigation in the Straits is highly congested by merchant traffic, coasters, fishing vessels and local traffic. This dense traffic includes the transport of noxious, dangerous and hazardous cargoes (oil, LNG,LPG, chemicals, other explosive and environmentally hazardous substances).
3.2 Date related to the volume of traffic is as follows:
- Approximately 45,000 vessels transit the Straits per year.
- Total vessel movement in the Bosphorous per day is approximately 1,350. This figure does not include the movement of transiting ships (vessels in transit southbound and/or northbound through the Bosphorous), leisure craft and fishing vessel.
- In 1994, 19,734 foreign flag vessels transited through this narrow waterway, with a total regular tonnage of 91.575.535 tons. (For the previous year (1993) the figures are 23,414 and 117,626,732 respectively.)
- 69 foreign warships transited through the Straits in 1994.
- There is also very heavy ferry traffic in the Bosphorous, which crosses between European and Asiatic sides.
- The number of local crossings by intra-city ferries and other shuttle boats is approximately 1,000. One-and-a-half million people are daily on the move at sea, crossing from one side to the other in Istanbul. The ferries cross the Straits in straight routes and diagonally as well.
- The risks and dangers associated with tanker navigation, maritime accidents and environmental catastrophe are aggravated with the increase in the density of traffic, tanker size and cargo capacity as well as nature of the cargo.
4. Expected increase in the level of traffic in the near future
4.1 Already congested and dense maritime traffic in the straits is expected to increase further mainly due to the following developments:
- The opening the Main-Danube Canal in September has linked the Rhine and Danube rivers, thereby creating a direct route between Rotterdam and Constanza. The North Sea and Black Sea has thus been integrated.
- An increase has recently been observed in the traffic originating from Volga-Baltic and Volga-Don Canals and abound to Mediterranean and to the Turkish ports.
5. Maritime incidents
5.1 In the last eleven years (1984-1994), 201 major incidents and many near casualties have occurred in the Straits, fortunately with relatively little damage done.
5.2 In 1994, 24 accidents have taken place, 22 of these accidents took place between 1st January to 30th June. The new Turkish Regulations for Navigation were put into effect on 1 July 1995.
6. Dangers and Risks involved
6.1 The nature, volume and frequency of vessel traffic, the increase in the size and tonnages of the vessels and the nature of cargoes transported have sharply increased the risks of maritime accidents which could have grave consequences in terms of ecological, environmental and physical disasters of an unprecedented nature and scale.
6.2 Dense maritime traffic and associated risks and dangers in the straits pose a serious threat to the physical and environmental security of Istanbul and to the lives of its 10 million population.
6.3 A collision or an environmental disaster will force the closure of the Straits for unpredictable periods. This force majeure situation will have the practical effect of denying, impairing and impeding the exercise of the right of navigation.
Foreign Merchant Vessels Operating or Transiting Through the Straits
Total
Year per year(*) Total Tonnage Accidents
1994 19.734 91.575.535 24 (**)
1993 23.414 117.626.723 16
1992 22.530 114.294.604 17
1991 19.703 109.928.619 23
1990 20.515 139.856.087 30
1989 21.235 160.522.887 14
1988 22.332 167.634.501 16
1987 20.670 149.744.757 17
1986 19.906 143.407.903 16
1985 19.758 140.244.416 19
1984 21.191 146.323.977 9
1983 20.774 134.379.759 ---
1982 21.055 127.809.034
1981 21.352 127.112.620 201
1980 20.780 128.085.698
1979 16.397 95.417.716
1978
1977 19.801 100.822.595
1976 19.639 111.452.697
1975 14.561 62.641.533
1974
1973
1972 19.106 70.295.878
1971
1970 17.911 63.630.897
1969 17.159 61.545.535
1968 17.077 57.021.308
1967 17.398 59.512.793
1966 15.833 57.309.298
1965
1964 13.054 46.404.518
1963 12.367 41.669.091
1962
1961
1960 9.144 28.735.726
Number of Vessels
1991 (SSCB) 8.877 37.769.540
1992 RF 7.924 30.219.055
1993 RF 6.322 23.251.077
1994 RF 5114 15.577.931
* Taking into consideration Turkish flagged vessels, these
figures need to be approximately doubled to arrive at the
total volume of maritime vessel traffic.
** 22 of 24 casualties were observed between 1st January 1994 and 30th June 1994. (Turkish Regulations were put into effect as of 1st July 1994)