TKKD voices concerns about recent defense requests from pilots, questioning their legal basis and potential impact on maritime safety.
The Turkish Association of Pilot Captains (TKKD) announced that it has received information regarding recent demands for defense from some pilot captains through a public announcement dated March 14, 2026, and numbered 018-G-0026. The association stated that the legal grounds for these defense requests appear to be 'seriously questionable,' emphasizing that the process could directly affect not only the professionals in the field but also maritime safety and human life.
In the announcement, it was emphasized that the nature of the piloting profession requires it to be carried out without pressure and based solely on 'maritime safety and public interest.' TKKD expressed that making the profession the subject of 'wearing processes' could lead to results that pose risks to maritime safety.
TKKD stated that it stands by its members who are subjected to defense requests and is ready to provide legal and institutional support to protect their rights. Additionally, it noted that for the process to be followed healthily, it is 'important' for members who receive defense requests to share the correspondence and relevant documents sent to them with the association.
The announcement was published with the signatures of Capt. Ali Önemli (General Secretary) and Capt. Nildeniz Sütçü Şen (Chairman of the Board).
Recently, there has been a notable debate among various stakeholders surrounding the execution of pilotage services, particularly regarding training and organizational processes. Some sector representatives have expressed concerns that while these processes should be conducted within a maritime safety-centered and verifiable framework, operational and commercial timetable pressures sometimes take precedence in practice.
Another sensitive topic raised in this context is the role of the public authority. It is undisputed that in a high-risk area such as pilotage, the primary duty of the public authority is to establish safety and maintain balance. However, some assessments suggest that particularly around tendering and service organization, there is a risk that the public authority could be pushed beyond its 'purely regulatory-supervisory' role, inadvertently being placed in a position of daily oversight of operational processes. The strengthening of such a perception carries the potential to create unwanted tension for both the administration and the sector.
At this point, the common denominator emphasized is the same: maritime safety and public interest. It is stressed that the process should be managed with a transparent, regulatory-compliant, measured, and traceable administrative practice, independent of the positions of the parties involved.
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
