The Bosporus Strait Harbour Master’s office has verbally advised that the Strait will close to all traffic for a total of 60 days over the next 6 months starting today, due to the construction of the Third Bridge (Yavuz Sultan Selim), the Inchcape Shipping Services reports.
The Bosporus Strait, a major shipping lane connecting the Mediterranean with the Black Sea, will only be closed when wind force is 3 beaufort or lower.
Future closure advisories will only be issued the day before the date of closure.
Cruise ships will not be allowed to pass during the period, as they create swells which cause the barge carrying the apron (tablier) to waver.
The route is the primary shipping channel for Russian oil, with some 10,000 tankers transporting 150 million petroleum products through the Strait each year.
The Yavuz Sultan Selim rail and road bridge is a USD 3 billion project undertaken by Turkey’s IC Holding and Italy’s Astaldi, expected to alleviate Istanbul’s congestion issues starting October.
Image: NASA