More than 40,000 vessels transited Turkish Straits in first half of 2026
04.08.2026 - 12:13 | Last Updated:
More than 40,000 ships passed through the Turkish Straits during the first six months of 2026, underscoring the strategic importance of the İstanbul and Çanakkale straits despite heightened regional tensions and disruptions to global maritime trade.
According to data compiled from the Turkish Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, a total of 40,218 vessels transited the Turkish Straits between January and June.
The figures come during a period marked by increased security concerns in key global shipping routes, including disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz amid tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Despite ongoing drone attacks linked to the Russia-Ukraine war in the Black Sea region, maritime traffic through the Turkish Straits remained steady.
Of the total, 19,277 vessels passed through the İstanbul Strait, while 20,941 ships transited the Çanakkale Strait.
The overall traffic was slightly lower than the same period last year, when 40,988 vessels used the two waterways, including 19,381 through the İstanbul Strait and 21,607 through the Çanakkale Strait.
General cargo ships accounted for the largest share of traffic, with 13,127 vessels, followed by 7,777 bulk carriers and 5,188 container ships.
The waterways also handled 604 livestock carriers, 258 vehicle carriers and 87 cement carriers during the six-month period.
In terms of cargo capacity, ships totaling 767.5 million gross tons passed through the Turkish Straits. Of that figure, 301.5 million gross tons transited the İstanbul Strait, while 466 million gross tons passed through the Çanakkale Strait.
Official data also showed that 24,260 vessels received pilotage services while navigating the two strategically important waterways during the first half of the year.
