ANKARA, July 1. /TASS/. Turkey’s authorities have increased the fee for vessels passing through the straits of Bosphorus and Dardanelles by 15% beginning on July 1 within the framework of its annual review process.

Earlier, Turkish Transportation Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced the increase. He reiterated that "the fees, collected from the vessels transiting through the straits of Bosphorus and Dardanelles, under the Montreux Convention are calculated based on the net tonnage of ships. From July 1, 2025, they will be increased by 15% compared to last year – to $5.83 per ton."

This is the fourth fee hike since 2022, when the president decreed to launch the process. Since then, the cost of passing the Turkish straits has increased 7.2-fold. Before 2022, for 38 years, the transit fee stood at $0.80 per ton.

According to the Turkish authorities, raising the fees is necessary due to increased maritime traffic through the straits and related risks and burden on coast services and infrastructure. The funds will largely be used to finance the coast guard, rescue workers, medics and other emergency services.

During 2024, over 51,000 vessels passed through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, paying out a total of $227 million.