ANKARA
The number of ships passing through Bosphorus and Canakkale strait have decreased due to global economic recession and the activity of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline in 2006.
According to the figures of Turkish Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications that 95,177 ships passed through Bosphorus and Canakkale Strait in 20011, and this figure dropped to 92,942 in 2012.
Less ships are using straits due to global economic crisis as well as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline which was opened in 2006.
In 2012, 48,329 ships used 30 kilometer-long Bosphorus (Istanbul Strait) which is one of the most important and also dangerous straits of the world connecting Black Sea and Marmara Sea, while 44,613 ships used Canakkale Strait which is 60 kilometers.
Ships carried 282.1 million tons of hazardous materials via Istanbul and Canakkale Straits in 2012.
