Cruisers In Turkey

[Lighthouse]

The following has been posted to "Latest News" on the Cruising Wiki's Turkey page:

From 1st January '09, a detailed inventory form is required for entry and exit to and from Turkey. The form must detail all main items aboard such as engines, generators, sails, electronics such as SSB, VHF, GPS, and all items such as bicycles, binoculars, stereos, computers, television sets, etc.

This form will be attached to the yacht's cruising permit and the items listed on entry must match those on the list on exit from Turkey. Any changes to this inventory list while in Turkey must be covered with purchase invoices for additions to the list or sales receipts identifying the new owner of the goods if removed from the list. This inventory list is stamped and copied by Customs at a cost of 50 Turkish lira.

This "rule" was in force some years ago and was dropped.

Can anyone currently in Turkey confirm that this is again being enforced?

[GoneTroppo]

It is in Marmaris.

Another new rule, vessels over 10t need to use an agent. This is all new so things are still getting sorted. So what is actually applied to yachts should be known over the next month or so.

[Lighthouse]

Originally Posted by GoneTroppo

It is in Marmaris.

Another new rule, vessels over 10t need to use an agent. This is all new so things are still getting sorted. So what is actually applied to yachts should be known over the next month or so.

Thanks "GoneTroppo" - please keep us updated.

[atheneoflymington]

Originally Posted by Lighthouse

The following has been posted to "Latest News" on the Cruising Wiki's Turkey page:

This "rule" was in force some years ago and was dropped.

Can anyone currently in Turkey confirm that this is again being enforced?

We've kept our yacht in Kusadasi for the past five years and we weren't informed of any change when we returned to the boat in May this year. Equally of any requirement to use an agent (our yacht is an Oyster 435 - displacement 15 tonnes). However, we are a British registered yacht, so I don't know if that makes any difference.

GORDON

Athene of Lymington

[Swagman]

If that rule was in force in 2005/6 then we never experienced it's application when we were there same years.

I do know the regulations on cruising permits etc have changed recently but frankly it was always hard to know where or when past regulations were ever going to be applied - so can only assume the same is still true today.

I've a Turkish contact who runs a new marina in Turkey so will ask him to give us a summary update and update when I get a response.

Cheers

JOHN

[mauricewainwright]

Since leaving Turkey in mid-July I have been hearing rumours of changes in the formalities in obtaining a Transit Log. The jist was initially that any yachts over 10 tonnes would be required to employ an agent to submit the application. Now it seems that all yachts will have to employ an agent and some are charging as much as €250. Does anyone know what the exact situation is?

[atheneoflymington]

Originally Posted by mauricewainwright

Since leaving Turkey in mid-July I have been hearing rumours of changes in the formalities in obtaining a Transit Log. The jist was initially that any yachts over 10 tonnes would be required to employ an agent to submit the application. Now it seems that all yachts will have to employ an agent and some are charging as much as €250. Does anyone know what the exact situation is?

We keep our yacht in Kusadasi (Oyster 435 - 15 tonnes) and the marina renews our Transit Log every year. Latest charge was (if my memory serves me right) Euros 30. I can't speak for other marinas, but anything much above that is evidently a rip-off.

[saxon]

Originally Posted by atheneoflymington

We keep our yacht in Kusadasi (Oyster 435 - 15 tonnes) and the marina renews our Transit Log every year. Latest charge was (if my memory serves me right) Euros 30. I can't speak for other marinas, but anything much above that is evidently a rip-off.

It's difficult to post certain information about Turkey without sounding unnecessarily alarmist. As far as the requirement for "grey" water tanks and the Blue Card issued to record the use/pump-out of such tanks is concerned, the last I heard was of yet another meeting between local and National Government bodies to decide when/if/how the proposed new laws would be introduced. It has been suggested that if those laws are enforced it may have some effect on the issue of cruising permits as well ( I think to stop people nipping off outside the 12 mile limit to empty their tanks at sea, rather than join the waiting queue at a pump-out location.)

Atheneoflymington, as a berth holder have you been officially told anything which may be of use? I was originally bound forTurkey but now reconsidering.

Regards Saxon.

[atheneoflymington]

Originally Posted by saxon' date='23 February 2010 - 08:33 PM

It's difficult to post certain information about Turkey without sounding unnecessarily alarmist. As far as the requirement for "grey" water tanks and the Blue Card issued to record the use/pump-out of such tanks is concerned, the last I heard was of yet another meeting between local and National Government bodies to decide when/if/how the proposed new laws would be introduced. It has been suggested that if those laws are enforced it may have some effect on the issue of cruising permits as well ( I think to stop people nipping off outside the 12 mile limit to empty their tanks at sea, rather than join the waiting queue at a pump-out location.)

Atheneoflymington, as a berth holder have you been officially told anything which may be of use? I was originally bound forTurkey but now reconsidering.

Regards Saxon.

Sorry to be tardy in replying - it's a while since I've checked this forum. We're back in Kusadasi at the end of April, so I'll post something then. You will probably have noted from other posts that the proposed Blue Card regime has been postponed to 2011. I suspect it will emerge considerably watered down, or even restricted to the larger hotel and charter vessels which generate as much poo as 20 sailing yachts!

Regards.

GORDON

Athene of Lymington

[atheneoflymington]

Originally Posted by saxon' date='23 February 2010 - 09:33 PM

It's difficult to post certain information about Turkey without sounding unnecessarily alarmist. As far as the requirement for "grey" water tanks and the Blue Card issued to record the use/pump-out of such tanks is concerned, the last I heard was of yet another meeting between local and National Government bodies to decide when/if/how the proposed new laws would be introduced. It has been suggested that if those laws are enforced it may have some effect on the issue of cruising permits as well ( I think to stop people nipping off outside the 12 mile limit to empty their tanks at sea, rather than join the waiting queue at a pump-out location.)

Atheneoflymington, as a berth holder have you been officially told anything which may be of use? I was originally bound forTurkey but now reconsidering.

Regards Saxon.

We've just spent six days cruising Skopea Limani, the main area targeted by the proposed new regulations and the only difference we can see from our last visit three years ago was that there are numerous orange-painted bollards in all the popular bays that yachts are expected to use rather than tying their stern lines to trees or rocks. That's not to say we didn't see Turkish gulets still doing it (but then they can argue their way out of a swingeing fine, whereas we yotties can't). Also, there are orange-painted garbage bins in most anchorages which seem to be cleared daily. Obviously yotties should co-operate with these measures, as the authorities have gone to some pains to reduce the adverse effect of yacht tourism in the area. As regards the black water/grey water controversy, nothing is likely to happen until next year at the earliest. Meanwhile, it goes without saying that yachts should not pump out toilet waste anywhere in Skopea Limani; basically the message is: if you don't have a holding tank, then don't come here.

GORDON KNIGHT

[atheneoflymington]

I can confirm that the detailed inventory form referred to above is now being implemented again. We are leaving our boat for a month in Setur Kusadasi Marina and it is necessary to put our boat in customs bond for that period. We have therefore been asked to complete the form as part of the process. This is the first time in the five years we have kept our boat in Kusadasi that we have been required to do this. We are advised, incidentally, that Turkish customs will only accept items on the list for which you have serial numbers, so if you can't find the serial number, don't list the item.

Unfortunately, this is a symptom of what appears to be a growing bureaucracy in Turkey as far as foreign yachts are concerned. It's a disturbing trend.

A further update: processing the transit log is also now much more expensive than last year. The charge at Kusadasi is now 61 Turkish lire for the transit log (which must be paid in cash) and 151 Turkish lire for the marina to handle the process.