Turkey has imposed a total maritime blockade on Israel-related vessel traffic, banning Israeli-flagged, Israeli-owned or Israel-bound vessels from entering Turkish ports, and Turkish-flagged vessels from sailing to Israel, according to media reports in recent hours.
Several reports published yesterday in Turkish newspapers such as Hürriyet confirm that Turkish port authorities are beginning to implement a new policy for foreign ships bound for Israel. From now on, ships visiting a Turkish port will have to present official documentation stating that they are not carrying military cargo bound for Israel and that the ship agency is not related to Israel. Turkish maritime sources quoted by the Turkish press state that if ships docked in Turkish ports are found to have links with Israel or to be carrying military cargo, all costs and legal liability will be borne by the shipping company.
Thus, these vessels will not be allowed to carry out any operations in Turkish ports, including transhipment of containers. The maritime sources consulted confirmed that there is currently no direct commercial vessel traffic from Turkey to Israel (suspended since May 2024), but that these practices have now mainly started to apply to foreign vessels using Turkish ports for transit to Israeli waters.
The information emphasises that the new regulations have been implemented to tighten controls in Turkish ports and prevent shipments of cargo to Israel. These restrictions mean that no goods bound for or coming from Israel will be handled in Turkish ports, sources closely linked to maritime traffic management told Turkish media.
This maritime blockade of Israel-bound ships is the latest measure taken by Turkey, which in May 2024 suspended all trade with Israel – estimated at some $7 billion a year – because of Israel’s brutal offensive on Gaza; the initiative could be a serious setback for the arrival of goods by sea to Israel via the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey has several important ports for maritime routes through the region, and especially given the difficulties of supply through the Red Sea since the Houthis began their attacks on Israeli ships in 2023 in response to Israeli oppression of the Palestinians.
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Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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