40,218 vessels transited Türkiye's straits in the first half of 2026 as Hormuz traffic stayed disrupted

According to data from Türkiye's Maritime Affairs General Directorate published on Tuesday, 4 August 2026 (13 Mordad 1405), a total of 40,218 vessels transited the Istanbul and Canakkale straits in the first six months of 2026. Of those, 19,277 passed through the Istanbul Strait and 20,941 through the Canakkale Strait. The comparable figure a year earlier was 40,988 vessels.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Turkish straits retained their strategic importance while the US, Israel and Iran conflict disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and as drone attacks intensified in the Black Sea during the Russia and Ukraine war.

Of the vessels that transited, 13,127 were general cargo ships, 7,777 were bulk carriers and 5,188 were container ships. Total gross tonnage through the two straits reached 767.5 million gross metric tons in the period, of which 301.5 million passed through the Istanbul Strait and 466 million through the Canakkale Strait. The number of vessels using pilotage services reached 24,260.