As a freighter crashed into a mansion on its shore on Saturday, it shows that a new canal in Istanbul may be an answer to relieve growing ship traffic.
The Bosphorus is one of the world’s most important choke points for maritime oil transports, with more than 3 percent of global supply – mainly from Russia and the Caspian Sea – passing through the 17-mile waterway connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
A Malta-flagged tanker had crashed into a historic mansion on the shores of Istanbul’s Bosphorus on Saturday after its steering equipment became locked. The tanker had crashed into a historic mansion on Istanbul’s Bosporus strait, severely damaging the building.
Turkey’s straits are among the most at-risk waterways in the world, according to experts. Over 50,000 vessels, including tankers carrying highly flammable oil, pass through the Bosporus every year. In addition to these risks,due to the Montreux Convention in 1936, Turkey couldn’t claim charge from ships.
With concern mounting over maritime safety on the strait, Turkish government’s plan to build Kanal Istanbul, a channel through Istanbul’s European side, has re-emerged as a hot topic.
The Project aims to reduce shipping traffic on the busy Bosphorus, minimizing risks and dangers particularly associated with tankers. Kanal Istanbul will be an alternative crossing point for ships through the city’s European side.
It is expected to have a capacity for 160 vessels a day and is scheduled to be completed by 2023.