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Türkiye's Bosphorus and Dardanelles handled a combined 40,218 ships in the first half of the year, down 1.9% from a year earlier, despite intensified drone attacks linked to the Russia-Ukraine war in the Black Sea.
A total of 19,277 ships passed through the Bosphorus between January and June, while another 20,941 transited the Dardanelles, according to data compiled from the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs.
General cargo vessels made up the largest share of traffic, with 13,127 transits during the six-month period. They were followed by 7,777 bulk carriers and 5,188 container ships.
The straits also accommodated 604 livestock carriers, 258 vehicle carriers and 87 cement ships over the same period.
Overall vessel traffic amounted to 767.5 million gross tons, including 301.5 million gross tons through the Bosphorus and 466 million gross tons through the Dardanelles. Pilotage services were provided to 24,260 ships crossing the two waterways during the first half of the year.
The Turkish straits remain the only maritime gateway linking the Black Sea with the Mediterranean, making them a critical route for exports from Black Sea countries, including grain, crude oil, petroleum products, metals and other bulk commodities.
Rather than levying a transit toll, Türkiye collects fees for services such as lighthouses, medical assistance, rescue operations and vessel traffic services.
The charges are calculated on ships' net tonnage using a gold franc benchmark specified in the convention and revised periodically. As of July 1, 2026, the fee stands at $6.70 per net ton, up from $5.83 previously.
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