Turkey hikes fee for passage of int'l ships through its straits
Turkey has decided to hike the transit fees for international vessels navigating through its straits by 15% as of July 1, a top official said on Sunday.
The toll, which comes as the fourth step since the tariff revision under the 2022 presidential decision, will rise 15% compared to the previous year, reaching 5.83 U.S. dollars per ton, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said.
The new rate will take effect on July 1.
The updated fees will apply to vessels transiting Istanbul and Çanakkale Straits with charges based on their net tonnage, the minister noted.
Pointing out that they regularly increased the 'gold franc' value, which remained constant at $0.8 for 39 years before 2022, every year with the work carried out by the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs, Uraloğlu said: 'Within the framework of the Montreux Convention, we will increase the 'gold franc' value used in calculating fees collected from ships passing through the Istanbul and Çanakkale Straits without a stopover and taken based on net tons of the ships, by 15% compared to the previous year, to $5.83 as of July 1, 2025.'
He also drew attention to the fact that the costs will be reflected more fairly with the 'gold franc' value revised according to current gold market data.
'This increase is highly valuable in terms of supporting the sustainability of the public services we provide in the Turkish Straits,' he said.
'With the fees we collect, we continue to constantly improve our infrastructure and vessel traffic monitoring systems to enhance maritime safety and security, as well as environmental protection, in our straits – among the world's most challenging and risky narrow waterways,' he added.
A total of 51,058 transit vessels subject to the tolls passed through the two straits in 2024, generating $227.4 million in revenue, according to Uraloğlu.
According to the Montreux Convention signed in 1936, Turkey retains the right to demand lighthouse, rescue and medical fees from ships passing through the Istanbul Strait, and entering and leaving the Çanakkale Strait.
At that time, the calculation was made over the common currency Germinal franc, which was accepted by the U.N. as the gold franc.
In 1936, one franc was equivalent to 0.29 grams (0.01023 ounces) of fine gold. When the Germinal franc was no longer in circulation, the payments started to be made in U.S. dollars based on the Turkish lira exchange rate, but the value of 1 franc was still kept as 0.29 grams of fine gold, regardless of the current exchange rates.
In 1983, Turkey waived about 75% of its toll rights of that day and fixed 1 gold franc to $0.8063 with a discounted value.
Until very recently, the tolls have been applied by multiplying the current exchange buying rate by the discounted gold franc value of $0.8063.
However, over time, the amount has eroded in the face of increasing inflation and gold value, causing Turkey to undercharge transits.
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