Turkey’s Bosphorus Strait, one of the world’s busiest waterways, is under growing pressure from heavy shipping and environmental stress, officials and experts warned.
Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said 29,710 vessels transited the strait in the first nine months of 2025, with traffic expected to exceed 40,000 by year’s end. He noted 1.2 billion gross tons of vessels passed through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles during the period.
The Chamber of Agricultural Engineers estimates the strait can handle up to 50,000 transits annually, but its narrow channels and sharp bends make navigation congested and risky. A ferry collision with a cargo ship in September injured 12 people.
Experts say rising traffic heightens risks of oil spills, chemical discharges and marine litter. Turkey has introduced round‑the‑clock monitoring and raised pollution fines by 44% this year. An oil spill from a tanker of up to 1,000 gross tons now incurs a fine of about 4,584 liras ($107) per gross ton.
Underwater noise from ship engines is also disrupting fish behavior, while recurring jellyfish blooms linked to pollution and overfishing are straining ecosystems. Istanbul University’s Firdes Saadet Karakulak said jellyfish, once seasonal, are now observed year‑round.
The Istanbul Environmental Status Report 2025 found that 55% of the city’s wastewater treatment capacity relies only on preliminary treatment, contributing to oxygen depletion and ecological stress in the strait.
