The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a series of general licenses in March 2026 concerning crude oil and petroleum products of Russian and Iranian origin. These measures introduce temporary “wind down” mechanisms, allowing for the delivery and offloading of cargoes that had already been loaded on board…

Pursuant to the decision published in the Official Gazette dated 13 March 2026, the daily cash subsistence allowance payable to seafarers has been revised and entered into force on the same date. Under the new decision, the daily subsistence allowance applicable throughout Türkiye, including all coastal areas and inland waters, has been increased from…

2026 Marine Pollution Fines Tariff The Communiqué on Administrative Fines to be Imposed pursuant to Article 20 of the Environmental Law No. 2872 (Communiqué No. 2026/1), prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, was published in the Official Gazette dated 30 December 2025 and numbered 33123, and has entered into force. The…

The Seafarers’ Subsistence Allowance Determination Committee of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security convened on 19 February 2025 and resolved to revise the daily subsistence allowance paid to seafarers. The decision was published in the Official Gazette dated 04 March 2025 and numbered 32831 and entered into force on the same date. Under the…

The Constitutional Court, in its decision dated November 5, 2024 (2023/158 E., 2024/187 K.), ruled that Article 27, paragraph 1 of Law No. 5718 on Private International Law and Procedural Law is unconstitutional and annulled the provision. This decision was published in the Official Gazette on March 10, 2025, and will come into effect on…

Publication in the Official Gazette dated July 9, 2024 (No. 32597), introduces significant regulations closely affecting the maritime sector. Key highlights of the amendments are as follows: Amendments to the Ports Law No. 618: The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure is authorized to determine the tariffs, procedures, and principles for pilotage and towage services. These…

Significant amendments have been introduced to the Regulation on the Incentivisation of the Construction of New Ships to Replace Scrapped Turkish Flagged Ships by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. The amending regulation was published in the Official Gazette dated 23 March 2024 (No. 32498) and entered into force on the same date. Key Changes…

The Constitutional Court, by its decision numbered 2022/154 E. and 2024/33 K., has annulled paragraph 7 of Article 40 of Law No. 854, which governs annual paid leave under the Maritime Labour Law. The decision was published in the Official Gazette dated 14 March 2024 (No. 32489). Given the nature of maritime employment, which often…

With the publication in the Official Gazette dated 12 March 2024 (No. 32487), the former “Rules for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea” have been repealed and replaced by the “Regulation on the Prevention of Collisions at Sea” issued by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. The new Regulation introduces a comprehensive framework governing the…

With the recent publication of the "Communiqué on Administrative Fines Pursuant to Environmental Law No. 2872" in the Official Gazette on December 28, 2023, a noteworthy shift in environmental penalties is on the horizon. Effective from January 1, 2024, administrative fines for environmental violations are set to increase by 58.46%. For comprehensive details and the…