A GENERAL VIEW OF
TURKISH PORTS
Turkey has several ports and berthing facilities; The ports are
classified into three groups: governmental, municipal and private
ports.
The first group, general-purpose governmental ports, are operated by
State Economic Enterprises. The Turkish
State Railways (TCDD) ports, all of which are connected with the
railway network. The Turkish Maritime Organization (TDI) ports.
These two State Economic Enterprises are under the control of the
Ministry of Transport, but they are activating as independent
enterprises. In the headquarters of both organizations, there is a
separate Department of Ports, which is responsible for planning and
their coordination. Each individual port is managed by a Port
Manager appointed by the related State Enterprise. These ports are "full-service"
ports. All the services to ship and cargo are given by the port own
labor and equipment. Main services given by the ports.
The second group are municipal ports which are managed by the
Municipalities. These ports are comparatively
small and are general limited to a small volume of coastal traffic
serving the local needs of provincial towns.
The third group is made up of special private ports. These ports are
mostly confined in purpose to the particular
needs of industrial plant but allowed to use by third parties too.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Heath and medical: If urgent medical assistance required,
Master must contact Agent as soon as possible. . (Doctors,
pharmacies and hospitals available each port)
Sanitary and Port inspections: Vessels calling Turkish ports
have to obtain free pratique than custom clearance to commence any
operation. Nobody may join to leave the ship before this inspection
is completed. Vessels may be cleared at anchorage or alongside, and
sometimes at the straits of Dardanells and Bosphours. Upon arrival
of the vessel, the organizes the clearance party which consist of:
1 sanitary officer
1 or more immigration police
1 or more custom officer
Master has to submit the following documents to the clearance party:
- 8 Copies of crew list (and passenger list) With seaman books (passports)
(1 copy for sanitary, 2 copies for police, 2 copies for customs also
required on departure)
- 2 copies of provisions, stores and bunkers list (for custom) also
required on departure (Excepting the case of tourist vessels, the
custom officers will seal store of tobacco, spirits as well as any
other itemsin bond. Sufficient quantities of the foregoing will be
left unsealed for the needs of the ship during the stay in port.The
seals must not be broken before ship's exit from territorial waters
or if sailing from one Turkish port to another Turkish port. Custom
allowances ten packets of cigarettes and one bottle spirit per crew
member per week.)
- In addition to fill above, manifest covering all cargoes (also
transit cargo) onboard are declared to the custom.
- Master has to fill in and sign a declaration form for the sanitary
officer. In this declaration, the master is asked to provide
information on sanitary/health matters on board the vessel
Lastly, the following ship-certificates to be present to the harbor
Master for inspection, to obtain outward clearance:
- Tonnage Certificate
- Safety Equipment Certificate
- Safety Construction Certificate
- Safety Radio Certificate
- International Load Line
- International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate
- Class Certificate
- Minimum Safe Manning Certificate
- Deratting Exemption Document
- International Medical Certificate
- Ship's registry Certificate
- Chemical Fitness Certificate (only tanker)
- International Safety Management Certificate
Departure: Vessels are allowed 3 hours alongside after
completion of cargo before penalty charges are imposed (only TCDD &
TDI ports). (This will be extended if the pilots will not take the
vessel out in darkness.)
Master have to obtain the following documents through the agent
before departure;
- Harbor master clearance (all ships certificates)
- Sanitary clearance (free pratique card)
- Custom clearances (Custom & Custom enforcement)
- Immigration clearance (all seaman book or passports and shore pass)
ETA: Vessels must cable their ETA's at least 96 and 48 hours
in advance 24 hours before arrival, stating vessel's
name, GRT/NRT, port of register, kind and quantity of cargo, drafts
and last port of call.
Turkish Flag: All foreign ships are required to fly Turkish
flag during their stay in Turkish ports or anchorages and
also when passing through the Turkish straits (Dardanelles and
Bosphours)
Time: GMT plus 2 hours. GMT 3 hours in Summer Time
Pilotage & Towage: Compulsory for berthing and unberthing a
Turkish port or anchorage. When within 10- 15 miles, Approximately 3
hours prior to arrival, vessels can communicate with "Pilot Station"
on VHF channels 16 or their self channels, manned 24 hours.
Pilot Ladder: will be prepared on vessel's starboard side. If
your vessel's freeboard exceeds more than 5 meters, please prepare a
combination ladder.
Readiness: Notice of Readiness will be received by loading
master or receivers of cargoes. It should be tendered at the time of
pilot boarding, anchoring or arrival points.
Port State Control: The under secretariat of maritime affairs
port State Control officers are entitled to effect sudden unusual
inspections on vessels in Turkish ports, in accordance with the "Mediterranean
Memorandum of Understanding on Port State control".
Fire precautions: Ship's watchmen to be on duty. All
operations involving open fires and sparks are prohibited. Fire on
board the ship has to stop loading or discharging and contact the
nearest fire station and harbor master on VHF channel 16 and dial
number 110 in every region in Turkey.
Marine Pollution Prevention Regulations: inform the following
rules and prohibited actions taken by the Turkish Ministry of
Environment (rules numbered 2872), which vessels have to keep the
rules while calling the all Turkish ports. Turkish Port and
Environment Authorities have begun to take stricter measures against
occurrences of pollution caused by vessels passing Turkish straits
or calling any ports of Turkey. Regardless of whether pollution is
actually caused by any particular vessel, the slightest indication
of pollution witnessed by other vessels is immediately reported to
the these authorities at twenty-four hours;(MARPOL 73/78, Annex-I)
1-Traffic control center or Pilot stations on VHF channels 16 , 11,
12 , 13 in every region in Turkey
2- Harbor master on VHF channels 16 in every region in Turkey
3-Coast Guard Command on VHF channels 16, 08 and dial number 158 in
every region in Turkey,
4-Your local agency on VHF channel 16 and emergency phones.
If pollution is found to have been caused due to technical problems
of the vessel, a fine of USD 35,000 (minimum) is charged. If
pollution is found to have been caused by reason of negligence on
the part of the vessel, or if ballast/dirty water/slops/garbage/etc
are discharged, this violation is charged from USD 40,000 to USD
160,000.
Master has the responsibility to give all the necessary information,
knowledge and instruction to Crew Members and monitoring the
accomplish.
Garbage and Oil Record Book: must keep a regular and obtain
the signature and seal of the receiving contractor each time of
disposal, painting, chipping and washing the storage tanks and holds
of vessel are under the responsibility of ship owner,
Garbage Removal: Garbage expenses are charged all vessels
calling at Turkish ports under the management of
the Turkish port authorities.
Ballast Water: There are no regulation concerning Ballast
water Management, however, some of the terminals are equipped to
accept ballast water. All vessels must not discharge ballast water
within port limits or territorial waters.
Waste oil Disposal: Available from terminals are equipped. (Pollution
of sea water is very severely fined)
Fumigation: Fumigation activities on board vessels are
prohibited unless a permit has been issued by the Harbour Master.
Repairs: Ship's repair shops available at major ports. Minor
repair possible under the port authorities' control.
Supplies: Fuel Oil, Diesel Oil, Gas Oil, Fresh Water and
Provision are available either ex. Truck or barge
Watchman: Employment of watchman from shore is not compulsory.
Tally Clerk: The employment of tally clerks is not compulsory
but recommended
Opening/Closing Hatches: This work can be carried out by crew.
If carried out by stevedores the cost is charged to vessel.
Shore Leave: Possible after completing custom & immigration
formalities, Crew permitted ashore with shore passes and Seaman's
book and all shore passes have to return to Immigration before
departure. Please kept the ports master information. (Some terminals
is forbidden to walk on jetty and in terminals area. A vehicle is
obtained by Terminal for the needs of the crew and vehicle goes only
to gates.)
Repatriation: All facilities available for crew changes and
arranging necessary repatriation.
Police/Ambulance/Fire: Emergency telephone numbers are Police
155 , Ambulance 112, Fire 110 in every region in Turkey.
Radio: Call Turk Radio,(ship-to-shore communication is by VHF-DSC
channels 16, 70 near of Turkey) on MF & Hf band. Forecasts and other
meteorological events are broadcast in Turkish on VHF channels 16
and 67 and updated every three hours. (You can receive the broadcast
in English on VHF if you required)
Navtex stations and Broadcast frequency and time;
ISTANBUL (D) 518 kHz 0030 - 0430 - 0830 UTC
SAMSUN.. (E) 518 kHz 0040 - 0440 - 0840 UTC
ANTALYA. (F) 518 kHz 0050 - 0450 - 0850 UTC
IZMIR.... (I) 518 kHz 0120 - 0520 - 0920 UTC
Consuls: Majority of foreign countries have consuls.
General Holidays:
January 1 New year’s Day
April 23 Commemoration of Ataturk & Children’ Holiday
May 19 Youth and Sports Holiday
August 30 Victory Day
October 28 Eve of Republic Day
October 29 Republic Day
Religious Holiday (3,5-4 days movable)
Working hours 08. 00 - 12. 00 , 13.00 - 17.00 (Saturday and Sunday
are holiday) official time in Turkey
For ports to be carried out during weekend and/or holidays,
application to the authorities to be made latest
17. 00 proceeding working day (overtime possible except for banks).
Communication: The national Turkish railway lines have a
total length of 8, 133 km. The road system includes
73,000 km of motorway and fairly good roads and is under
modernization and development to meet the rapidly
increasing truck transit traffic between Europe an the Middle East.
There are international airports.
Currency: The monetary unit is the Turkish Lira.
Climate: The country is so large that, one can not speak
about a general overall climate. Therefore, Turkey's
climate varies dramaticall from region to region. Western and Black
Sea Coastal areas enjoy generally mild
winters with little snow and warm summers. The Black Sea coast is
rainy all through the year. The southern coast
is typically Mediterranean, hot and sometimes humid summers with
mild winters. The climate in the Central
Anatolia and in the east is continental with low rainfall. Winters
are harsh with heavy snowfall and the
temperatures falling to as low as minus 30 ° C in the east.
Language: Turkish is official language and is written in the
Roman script. Many Turks engaged in business also
speak English, French and German.
