The Ministry of Transport updates operational permits and safety requirements for shipyards and boat manufacturing facilities, effective October 27, 2026.
The regulation prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, which includes significant changes regarding the operations of shipyards, boat manufacturing facilities, and slipways, has been published in the Official Gazette dated October 27, 2026, and numbered 33413, and has come into effect.
With the Regulation Amending the Regulation on Shipyards, Boat Manufacturing, and Slipway Operations, the operating permits, inspections, occupational health and safety certificates, coastal structures, and obligations related to the Ship Industry Database Program (GSVP) have been reorganized.
The changes announced to members by the İMEAK Chamber of Shipping concern not only the existing facilities operating in the sector but also the newly established shipyards, boat manufacturing, and slipway facilities.
Operating permits will be valid for a maximum of five years.
With the amendment made to Article 12 of the regulation, the validity period of the operating permit documents to be issued to the facilities has been set to a maximum of five years.
During this period, it has become mandatory for the facilities to be inspected at least once by the Operating Facility Inspection Commission (İTDK) to be established by the Administration.
ISO 45001 requirement in occupational safety.
The document requirement in the field of occupational health and safety has also been changed.
Instead of the OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System Certificate previously used in operating permit applications, the TS EN ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System Certificate will be required.
New document requirement for coastal structures.
With the amendment made to Article 10 of the regulation, it has become a condition to obtain a letter from the General Directorate of Infrastructure Investments showing that the filling and coastal structures have been completed in accordance with the approved implementation projects or that the site plans for existing structures have been approved.
This document will be evaluated together with the other documents specified in the regulation.
New application in the transfer and leasing of facilities.
Real and legal persons acquiring or leasing shipyards, boat manufacturing, or slipway facilities will be required to reapply for an operating permit or partial operating permit.
If there is a floating dock in the facility, an application will also be made for the floating dock operating permit.
In facilities that have previously obtained an operating permit or partial operating permit, if it is determined that the conditions of the regulation are met as a result of the inspection, a one-time partial operating permit valid for two years may be issued.
Ship Industry Database records will be mandatory.
With the regulation, the obligations of facility operators regarding the entry of information into the Ship Industry Database Program have also been reorganized.
Accordingly, information regarding the construction, maintenance and repair, modification, and slipway activities of ships and watercraft carried out in the facilities will be recorded in the GSVP system.
If non-compliances or deficiencies identified during inspections are not resolved within the given time frame, the GSVP records of the facilities will be suspended.
Facilities with suspended records will not be able to enter new information into the system. After the deficiencies are resolved, an application will be made, which will be evaluated by the Administration, and the record can be reactivated.
A new guide will be implemented for facility plans.
The preparation, evaluation, and approval processes of facility organization, layout plans, and mooring plans will be carried out in accordance with the guide to be prepared by the Administration.
However, this regulation will not apply to applications made before January 1, 2027.
The new regulation brings changes in many areas from operating permits to technical certification, from facility inspections to digital record obligations in the shipyard and boat manufacturing sector.
The full text of the regulation announced to members by İMEAK Chamber of Shipping Secretary General İsmet Salihoğlu can be accessed from the General, Technical, and Legislation section of the Chamber of Shipping's website.
Source: Official Gazette dated October 27, 2026, numbered 33413; İMEAK Chamber of Shipping legislative announcement.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
