Turkey raises Bosphorus and Dardanelles transit fees 15% to $6.70 per net tonne from July 1

The annual Montreux Convention indexation pushed fees from $5.83 to $6.70 per net tonne; a 10,000-tonne vessel now pays roughly $25,000 per passage, compounding post-Iran-war shipping costs as Turkey hosts the NATO summit

Summary

Turkey raised its transit fees for the Bosphorus and Turkish Straits Dardanelles from $5.83 to $6.70 per net tonne effective July 1, 2026, a 15 percent increase applied under the Montreux Convention's annual cost-recovery indexation mechanism. A 10,000-net-tonne vessel now pays approximately $25,000 per passage, up from roughly $21,750. The rate was announced June 19 and takes effect simultaneously with Turkey's NATO summit hosting duties. The schedule holds through June 30, 2027, when the next annual review occurs. Shipping associations including BIMCO had flagged concerns about the pace of cumulative increases, which have made the Bosphorus one of the most expensive chokepoint transits globally for bulk carriers.

The split

Turkey frames the increase as routine Montreux Convention cost recovery, citing inflation and operational expenses. Shipping associations warn that cumulative increases since 2020 are pushing some bulk-cargo operators toward longer routes, with Ukraine grain and Russian oil exports among the affected trades. Russia, the largest single user category for Bosphorus transit, has not publicly objected, reflecting its strategic interest in maintaining Turkish neutrality on Montreux Convention administration.

By the numbers

$6.70 per net tonne, new Bosphorus/Dardanelles transit fee from July 1
$5.83, prior fee (15.1% increase)
$25,000, approximate total transit cost for a 10,000-net-tonne vessel (up from $21,750)
~41,000 vessels per year, approximate annual traffic through the Turkish Straits
July 1, 2027, next rate review date

Why it matters

The Bosphorus and Dardanelles are the only egress from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. Fee increases compound the post-Iran-war shipping cost environment and reinforce Turkey's economic leverage over Black Sea trade, a position Ankara has maintained throughout the Ukraine conflict and used as quiet geopolitical currency with both Russia and NATO partners.

What to watch

BIMCO and INTERCARGO formal responses, and whether a Montreux Convention review is requested
Whether Russia objects diplomatically if cumulative costs exceed a threshold for its Black Sea export economics
Impact on Ukrainian grain export volumes and competitiveness through the second half of 2026
Whether Turkey files a further mid-year adjustment as the inflationary basis allows

the record · 1

XinhuaJun 19, 2026 — June 19 advance report confirming the July 1 fee change under the Montreux Convention annual indexation: from $5.83 to $6.70 per net tonne. Cited the Turkish Maritime Authority announcement and noted the rate applies to commercial vessels transiting both the Bosphorus and Dardanelles.

Regional takes · 2

▸ Shipping-industry specialist outlet based in Athens; provided the transit-cost calculation for a 10,000-net-tonne vessel and placed the 2026 increase in the context of a multi-year trend of cumulative fee growth

Safety4Sea · Greece · en · Jul 1, 2026

Calculated total per-transit cost at approximately $25,000 for a 10,000-net-tonne vessel (up from $21,750). Noted that cumulative Montreux indexation increases since 2020 have made the Bosphorus one of the most expensive chokepoint transits globally for bulk carriers. Flagged BIMCO's formal concerns about the pace of increases and their impact on Black Sea grain and ore trade.

“Cumulative indexation increases since 2020 have made the Bosphorus one of the most expensive strait transits globally, with the 2026 increase adding roughly $3,250 per 10,000-tonne passage.”

Source ↗

▸ Turkey's main English-language daily; confirmed the domestic legal basis for the fee under the Montreux Convention cost-recovery mechanism and noted that Russian freight operators, the largest single user category, have not formally objected

Hurriyet Daily News · Turkey · en · Jul 1, 2026

Reported the fee change from the Turkish authority's perspective, citing Montreux Convention provisions that allow annual cost-recovery indexation. Noted that Russia, which uses the straits for grain and oil shipments, has not protested publicly, consistent with its strategic interest in maintaining Turkish neutrality. Confirmed the rate holds through June 30, 2027.

“Turkey raised Bosphorus and Dardanelles transit fees to $6.70 per net tonne from July 1, citing Montreux Convention annual indexation.”

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