Cabotage Law

Law No. 815 on cabotage at the Turkish coastlines and trade within the territorial waters and ports.

This Law lays down rules for the coastal and inland trade by the vessels flying the Turkish flag. This Law sets forth provisions on the exclusive right of Turkish flagged vessels to transport goods and passengers from one point to another along Turkish shores and to perform towing and piloting and all other port services of any type whatsoever within or between Turkish ports and shores in Article 1; exclusive right of Turkish nationals to trade through navigation and transportation in inland waters, in the Marmara Sea and the Straits, and in and within continental waters, by means of fixed or floating vessels in Article 2; exclusive right of Turkish nationals to fish, catch marine living and aquatic resources, dive, search, carry out activities in the deep sea bed, work in Turkish maritime vessels, and to carry out any type of maritime business within Turkish continental waters in Article 3; and permit issued by the Turkish Government to foreign salvage vessels to operate within Turkish waters, and foreign experts, captains and crew to be employed temporarily on Turkish salvage vessels in Article 4. Furthermore, Article 5 lays down offences and penalties to be imposed on any foreign ship or other sea vessel engaged in cabotage between Turkish ports in breach of the provisions of Article 1, and any foreigners who attempt to violate any of the maritime rights that belong exclusively to Turkish nationals specified in Articles 2 and 3. Moreover, Paragraph 2 of Article 1 states that foreign ships may only transport passengers and cargo from abroad to Turkish ports, and take on passengers and cargo from Turkish ports to carry them to foreign ports.