Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that ship mobility in the Turkish Straits in 2025 reached 84 thousand 640, 40 thousand 172 in Istanbul and 44 thousand 468 in Çanakkale, and 48 thousand 579 pilotage services were provided.
Uraloğlu made a written statement regarding the 2025 Turkish Straits ship transit statistics published by the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs.
Stating that the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits continue to be one of the most critical transit points of world maritime trade, Uraloğlu said, “We provided pilotage services to 24 thousand 608 ships, which constitute 61.3 percent of the 40 thousand 172 ships passing through the Bosphorus in 2025. 53.9 percent of the 44 thousand 468 ships passing through the Dardanelles, that is, 23 thousand 971 ships.” “The ship was managed by our pilots. Thus, in 2025, ship mobility in the straits reached 84 thousand 640 and 48 thousand 579 pilotage services were provided.” he said.
“GENERAL CARGO SHIPS USED THE ISTANBUL AND ÇANAKKALE STRAITS MOST”
Uraloğlu gave information about the types of ships that passed through the Istanbul and Çanakkale straits last year and stated that general cargo ships will mostly use these straits in 2025. Pointing out that 14 thousand 724 general cargo ships passed through the Bosphorus and 13 thousand 870 general cargo ships passed through the Dardanelles during the said period, Uraloğlu noted that general cargo ships were followed by bulk cargo ships and that 7 thousand 493 bulk cargo ships used the Bosphorus and 8 thousand 66 bulk cargo ships used the Dardanelles in a year.
Pointing out that 422.8 million tons of cargo, including 203.7 million tons of dangerous cargo, were carried on ships using the Bosphorus, and 570.3 million tons of cargo, 232.5 million tons of which were dangerous cargo, on ships using the Dardanelles, Uraloğlu said, “During this period, 128 ships larger than 300 meters passed through the Bosphorus and 660 ships passed through the Dardanelles. In the 250-300 meter length range, 1836 ships passed in the Bosphorus and 3 thousand 11 ships passed in the Dardanelles.” made his assessment.
Referring to the flag distribution of the ships that use the Turkish straits the most, Uraloğlu emphasized that Panama-flagged ships passed the most with 12 thousand 823 ships, followed by Turkish-flagged ships with 12 thousand 765 and Liberian-flagged ships with 10 thousand 735.
“ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS INVOLVING MARINE VESSELS DECREASED BY 21 PERCENT COMPARED TO 2024”
Underlining that maritime safety is kept at the highest level despite the intense ship traffic, Uraloğlu shared the data on maritime accidents and incidents that occurred last year as follows:
“With the Main Search and Rescue Coordination Center, which coordinates all search and rescue activities to be carried out within the Turkish search and rescue region at the highest level, we intervened in 299 marine vehicle accidents and rescued 561 people alive in 2025. Accidents and incidents involving marine vessels decreased by 21 percent compared to 2024.”
Uraloğlu stated that efforts to increase navigational safety and the safety of life, property, sea and environment in the Turkish Straits continue uninterruptedly, and reminded that the Turkish Straits Maritime Traffic Order Implementation Directive, which determines the procedures and principles regarding the implementation of the provisions of the Turkish Straits Maritime Traffic Order Regulation, was revised in 2025 with the developing needs.
Pointing out that significant momentum has been achieved in cruise tourism, Uraloğlu said:
“While 204 cruise ships and 439 thousand 968 cruise passengers visited Istanbul ports in 2024, the number of cruise ships calling at Istanbul ports in 2025 increased by approximately 30 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 265 cruise ships and 625 thousand 517 cruise passengers.”
