New Regulation on Ship Agencies in Effect

The long-awaited new 'Ship Agencies Regulation' in the maritime sector has been published in the Official Gazette and has come into effect. Prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the regulation introduces new rules in various areas, from the operational principles of ship agencies to personnel qualifications.

With the new regulation, ship agencies operating in Turkey have been classified into Class A, B, and C. The scope of activities, service coverage, and authority limits have been redefined within the regulation. Stricter criteria will be applied for agencies serving in the Turkish Straits.

One of the notable headings in the regulation is the financial adequacy requirements.

With the new regulation, the financial adequacy criteria have also been clarified. Accordingly:

A class agencies are required to have a minimum paid-in capital of 5 million TL,

B class agencies must have at least 1 million TL,

C class agencies are required to have a minimum paid-in capital of 500 thousand TL.

To operate, agencies will need to meet specific capital criteria. Additionally, the training, examination, and certification processes for personnel working in the sector have been reorganized. Authorization certificates will be renewed at specified intervals, and inspections will be conducted through a digital system.

With the new system, a more institutional and auditable structure is aimed for in the maritime sector. The Ministry seeks to enhance compliance with international maritime standards and improve service quality.

Some provisions of the regulation published in the Official Gazette dated May 14, 2026, will come into effect immediately, while other provisions will be implemented three months later. The previous regulation dated 2012 has been completely repealed.

Source: SeaNews Türkiye