Over Nine Thousand Vessels Pass Through Istanbul Strait in First Quarter

(MENAFN) A total of 9,195 ships crossed Türkiye’s Istanbul Strait during the first three months of the year, according to data compiled from the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry.

The strait, which links Asia and Europe, saw an average of 102 vessels passing through daily between January and March.

Out of the total traffic, 5,792 ships were assisted by pilotage services, reflecting the volume and complexity of maritime navigation in the busy waterway.

Cargo shipping accounted for a significant portion of the movement, including thousands of general cargo vessels, bulk carriers, and hundreds of tankers transporting chemical materials.

The breakdown of vessel categories included bulk carriers, container ships, general cargo ships, tankers, passenger vessels, tugboats, and several other types of maritime traffic. Warships and specialized transport vessels also passed through during the period.

Officials reported that unlike the previous year, no ships exceeding 300 meters in length transited the strait in the first quarter.

The total cargo volume carried through the waterway reached 135.18 million gross tons over the three-month period. Monthly figures showed the highest cargo volume in January, followed by a decline in February and a rebound in March.

Traffic distribution across the months included 3,025 ships in January, 2,687 in February, and 3,483 in March.

Compared with the same period last year, both the number of vessels and total cargo volume showed a slight decrease, indicating a modest downturn in maritime traffic through the strategic waterway.

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