Maritime & Admiralty Law

Turkish maritime law sits in Book Five of the Turkish Commercial Code (Law No. 6102), which was drafted deliberately in line with modern international instruments. For foreign owners, charterers and P&I clubs the practical significance is that Turkish outcomes are broadly predictable against international expectations — with a few sharp local differences that decide cases.

Ship arrest is the most consequential of them. Turkish law permits arrest only for claims that fall within a defined statutory list of maritime claims, requires counter-security from the claimant, and moves fast once ordered. A claim that does not fit the list will not support an arrest however strong it is on the merits. Time limits in this area are short, and some of them extinguish the right rather than merely barring the remedy.

Charterparty disputes follow familiar international patterns — laytime and demurrage, off-hire, hire and withdrawal, cargo claims, redelivery — but forum selection and the enforceability of a foreign award or judgment against a vessel calling at a Turkish port are what determine recovery.

The guides below cover arrest procedure, charterparty disputes, cargo claims and the Turkish International Ship Registry. For enforcement generally see litigation and arbitration.