Turkey — home to some of the world’s busiest waterways — has announced a new set of fines that will see maritime polluters pay about a third more than before.
The 36% across-the-board hike, effective for all ship types throughout 2022, was declared in the official government gazette on 21 December, lawyer and consulting company Enesyel Partners notified clients in a newsletter on Thursday.
According to shipping sources in Istanbul, this increase is about three times steeper than the annual increases of about 10% that Turkey imposed in each of the two preceding years.
Shipowners unlucky or careless enough to become involved in maritime pollution incidents in Turkish waters may still find the hike relatively easy to stomach.
Their earnings are usually denominated in US dollars while the fines, even though up in nominal terms, are expressed in Turkish lira — a currency that has suffered considerable devaluation in recent months.
Even when in dry dock
According to the new tariffs, tankers with a carrying capacity in excess of 5,000 gross tons that discharge petroleum products or derivatives thereof will pay 1,149 Turkish lira per gross ton of cargo ($104.5 according to exchange rates on 23 December).
Different, lower tariffs apply to other types of pollution discharged by other types of ships.
Shipowners can appeal fines within 30 days. Prospects of success, however, "are generally low", Enesyel Partners said.
Owners who decide not to fight the fines and pay promptly within the appeal period can expect a 25% discount.
The Turkish Straits are among of the world’s busiest and trickiest waterways. Turkey has furthermore developed into a major European shipbuilding and ship repair centre.
Under Turkish law, shipowners can even be held liable for pollution while their ships are at the shipyard or in dry dock.
“Crew members should exercise care and should immediately protest in writing to the shipyard when they believe pollution took place,” Enesyel Partners warned.
