The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey says the amount of cargo transported via the Bosphorus has increased by 40% since 2005. According to the Ministry, more cargo is carried with fewer ships thanks to the technological development in the sea.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure has published a statement on the number of strait crossings. Although the number of ship transits in the Bosphorus seems to be decreasing, the size and tonnage of the ships and the amount of cargo carried increased. More cargo was carried with fewer ships to reduce the transportation costs in the maritime sector.
“In 2005, 54,794 ships passed the Bosphorus. The gross tonnage of the ships totaled 468.105 million metric tons, the net tonnage – 246.824 million metric tons, the amount of cargo – 334.051 million metric tons. In 2021, the number of ship passes totaled 38,551, the gross tonnage – 631.921 million metric tons, the net tonnage – 341.742 million metric tons, the amount of cargo – 465.357 million metric tons,” reads the statement.
Between 2005 and 2021, the number of ships over 200 meters increased by 51%, from 3,503 to 5,306.
According to the statement, "the risk in terms of navigation safety increases with each passing year due to the increase in the size and tonnage of ships, the total amount of cargo carried, the type of cargo, and the number of passages made by ships of 200 meters and above."