Turkey will raise the gold franc benchmark used to calculate charges for ships transiting the Bosphorus and Dardanelles without calling at a Turkish port to $6.70 from July 1, up from $5.83, according to a June 4 letter from Turkey’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs circulated by İMEAK Deniz Ticaret Odası.
The new value will apply for the tariff year from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The increase from $5.83 to $6.70 is about 14.9%, effectively matching the annual 15% revision applied to the benchmark.
The letter, numbered E-19463099-030.02-3684617, was signed on behalf of the ministry by maritime affairs director general Ünal Baylan. The charges apply to vessels making non-stop passages through the Turkish Straits. The letter states that the dues are governed by the 1936 Montreux Convention and calculated using the gold franc unit.
Turkey has lifted the benchmark in stages after the value remained fixed at $0.80 for decades. It was raised to $4.08 in October 2022, $4.42 in 2023, $5.07 in 2024 and $5.83 in 2025.
The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs is part of Turkey’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and performs administrative and regulatory functions for maritime transport and safety.
İMEAK Deniz Ticaret Odası is Turkey’s maritime chamber, representing shipping and maritime businesses and distributing sector notices to its members.