Canal Istanbul for Bosphorus Strait Traffic and Safety!

The Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Karaismailoglu has made statements about the world maritime trade and the Canal Istanbul project at the Turkey Maritime Summit. 80% of world trade is provided by marine transportation. The amount of cargo transported by sea in the world is 12 billion tons. The amount of cargo transfering on the Black Sea and the Black Sea Basin is 1,7 billion tons! Sea freight is expected to double to 25 billion tons in 2030. Also, 3.5 billion tons of cargo, which covers the world maritime trade, is expected to transfer through the Black Sea. The Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure emphasizes that movements should be directed from Istanbul in order to control this amount of cargo and to provide security and ease marine traffic.

President Erdogan: “Canal Istanbul is 13 Times Safer”

In line with the statement of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the vessel traffic on Canal Istanbul will be 13 times safer when compared to the Bosphorus traffic. It has been also announced that the Canal Project, which is worth billions of dollars, will be completed within 6 years. On both sides of the Canal, there will be two earthquake-resistant new settlements for 500,000 people. The plans for tankers and capesize vessels to close the Bosphorus and pass through Canal are improved. The works of the Canal Project are still ongoing in order to both reduce the environmental hazards and manage marine traffic.

The Canal Istanbul Project Will Enable the Traffic to be Reduced!

It is planned to reduce the maritime traffic density on the Bosphorus Strait and to improve safety thanks to the Canal Istanbul project. Since 2010, the length of the vessel passing through the Bosphorus- the Strait of Istanbul- has increased from approximately 50 meters to 350 meters.

The Canal Project has an important role in order to prevent the rudder locks caused by the bends in the Bosphorus.

The Sharpest Point of the Bosphorus Strait: 80 Degrees (Yenikoy-Sarıyer)

The Narrowest Point of the Bosphorus Strait: 698 meters

The amount of cargo passing through the Bosphorus has increased from approximately 672 million gross to 849 million gross tons since 2010. Depending on the increase in tonnages and the development of technology, the Istanbul Canal will both increase the safety of navigation. It will also be a new waterway open to international maritime traffic.

45,000 Ships and Vessels Pass Through the Bosphorus Strait in a Year

Negotiations with the major infrastructure companies that have developed the Suez Canal and many other projects are proceeding, according to the statements made about the Canal Istanbul project.

When we look at the canal examples in the world, The Panama Canal provides approximately 10,000 km of short-cut for ships. In addition, The Suez Canal decreases the distance by 6,000 km.

In line with the recent data, 1,2 billion tons of cargo passed through the Suez Canal with 19 thousand ships during the year. According to his last statement of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, 45,000 ships pass through the Bosphorus annually. He also indicates that these figures will reach 78,000 in 2050.

The Canal Istanbul Project Will be Completed within 6 Years!

According to the statement of the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Karaismailoglu made at the Turkish Maritime Summit, the Istanbul Canal is expected to be completed within 6 years. The foundations of the first bridge of Canal Istanbul that is planned to direct the 3,5 billion-ton trade movement on the Black Sea and the Black Sea Basin have been laid.

President Erdogan mentioned that; “Today we are turning a new page in the history of Turkey. We are adding a new step to the development of our country and the strengthening of our nation. Today, we are laying the foundation of the first bridge of the Istanbul Canal project” in his groundbreaking speech.

About Istanbul Canal Project

Canal Istanbul project, the construction of which started in the middle of the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea, on the European Side of Istanbul will be 45 km in length, 275 meters in width and 20,75 meters in depth.

President Erdogan: “The Project Will Be Done During Election Time”

About the Istanbul Canal project, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized that the parliamentary and presidential elections will be held in June 2023. He underlined that the comments about the different statements and election dates about Canal project should be disregarded.

Integrated Facilities and Details of the Canal Istanbul Project

Integrated structures and units to be established within the scope of the Istanbul Canal project:

• Kucukcekmece Marina
• Recreation Areas
• Container Ports and Logistics Centers.

The Canal Istanbul project includes the Black Sea Logistics Center, the Black Sea Recreation Area and the Container Port located to the east of the Black Sea entrance. Furthermore, the additional facilities within the scope of the project are the Kucukcekmece Yacht Harbor developed at the Kucukcekmece district border and the Marmara Container Port developed on the coastline.