Jakarta –
Even today there is a tanker gridlock on the high seas of Turkey. The Tribeca Shipping Agency said 19 tankers were trapped, up from 16 the day before.
The ships wanted to deliver oil to the southern states. Its movement was to be from Russian ports through the Bosphorus, the Turkish Dardanelles and then into the Mediterranean.
However, currently these vessels are still stranded and lined up on the high seas of Turkey. They are reportedly in line as they are still waiting for the letter of insurance which is a condition for the ships passage in the Turkish seas.
The Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure just issued the rules on November 16th. The regulation mandates that vessels must have Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance.
The new regulation takes effect from 1 December 2022. The insurance applies to all circumstances while sailing in Turkish waters or while docking in a port.
“It is necessary to confirm that P&I insurance is valid and inclusive during the cargo vessel’s voyage, especially for petroleum products through the Turkey Strait. It is considered the most convenient and reasonable solution to receive an additional confirmation letter that the vessel will still be covered by valid P&I insurance during this voyage,” the content of the letter obtained by Reuters, quoted on Friday (9/12/2022).
Since the entry into force of the regulation, a tanker covered by the Russian insurance company Ingosstrakh can sail after submitting the documents.
However, this policy has been criticized from various quarters. Because these rules cause ships to get stuck and shipments will experience long delays.
The Association of International Shipping Chambers (ICS), which accounts for more than 80% of the world’s merchant fleet, said it hoped the problem would be resolved quickly.
“We are aware that high-level discussions are underway to provide clarity on the Turkish government’s requirement that crude oil tankers entering or transiting Turkish waters must provide assurances from the owner’s insurance that coverage will remain, even in the event of a breach of the penalties,” an ICS spokesperson said. .
“The notification goes beyond the usual confirmation of protection, causing the ship to be delayed while clarity is sought on the scope of the new requirements,” he concluded.
(there/das)
