This article is to alert all ship fleets, regarding Turkey rules for marine environment protection and penalty which may apply if found polluting the water. Though some Turkish ports are located to ECA sea passage, but these rules are separate from those.
To all vessels call Turkey ports – Here are marine pollution info
During vessel port stay at Turkey, please note on the pollution matter at Turkish ports to be taken care on serious note.
Recently, we had a incident with one of our vessel called Turkey port for loading clinker, As the vessel was loading cargo, the de-ballasting was concurrently on considering the requirements of air draft at the berth.It was informed to the vessel that during DE ballasting there was discharge of muddy water into the sea where municipal authorities determined that the ship had discharged dirty ballast during the ballasting operation. Based on this, they imposed a marine pollution heavy penalty on the Vessel abt 1 Million USD.
Pollution : According to Marpol Regulations, it is strictly prohibited for all vessels to discharge any kind of seawage or dirty ballast or throw garbage in to the sea while calling any Turkish Ports’s or passing Transit through special sea area as marked by MARPOL, such as Marmara Sea.
The following is a guideline for avoiding risk of pollution and subsequent fine ;
-Performing hose test is compulsory as per shippers regulations. (As per terminal regulations.)
-All overbroad discharges should be closed and the Valves secured/sealed in close position
-All scuppes are to be closed/plugged.If possible,continous deck-edge plates shuuld be fitted;
-Sewage system should not be operated during the stay,both at port and anchorage.All “Grey Water” should be held on board and prevented from escaping.
Marine environment protection boats are working 24 hours at Turkish Coastlines and the vessels polluting sea are exposed to being detained and heavily fined in case the video camera footage and sample are taken by coast guard.
Turkish Port limits air pollution rules and fuel changeover time
All vessels within Turkish Port limits must consume LSMGO even if they are at anchorage position either at berth. Vessels have 2 hours changeover opportunity from high sulphur bunker to low sulphur bunker both on entry & exit port limits.
In this respect, vessel has to consume LSMGO on all below positions.
1) At Anchorage
2) From Pilot station or anchorage to terminal/berth
3) During discharging/loading operation
4) From terminal to pilot point/open seas. Fuel oil consumption is forbidden after change over till departure so fuel oil quantity which is decelerated to customs on arrival should be same as on departure. So, vessel has to use Only LSMGO for M.E. and Aux engines till departure. Or vessel can use Ultra-low Sulphur fuel oil (ULSFO) less than 0.1%. Ships operating in the Med SOx ECA region must use fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.1% m/m as of 1 May 2025
Hope this guide helps keep your vessel out of trouble. share and subscribe for our newsletters and on social media
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