Dense fog halts ship traffic in Dardanelles Strait, safety measures in place
The view of the fog that caused the closure of shipping traffic in the Dardanelles Strait, seen from the Lapseki district, Türkiye, Feb. 1, 2025. (AA Photo)
In the early hours of the morning, dense fog severely affected maritime traffic in the Dardanelles Strait (Canakkale Bogazi), leading to a temporary halt in ship movements in both directions.
The poor visibility caused by the fog prompted authorities to take necessary safety measures, including halting all ship passages.
Temporary closure of Dardanelles Strait shipping lane
At 7:50 a.m., the Dardanelles Strait Vessel Traffic Services Directorate notified ships navigating both the northern and southern routes of the strait via radio communication. The notice confirmed that all transit ship passages had been suspended for safety reasons.
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure stated, “Shipping traffic in the Dardanelles Strait is temporarily suspended in both directions because of limited visibility caused by dense fog.”
Authorities expect normalization once fog lifts
Officials assured that maritime traffic would resume once the fog dissipates and visibility improves.
Shipping operations are anticipated to restart as soon as the visibility reaches safe levels for vessels to pass through the strait.
