Section Four / Yachting Tourism
OPERATION OF MARINAS
ARTICLE 26 – Real or legal persons may operate marinas subject to the obtention of the necessary certificate from the Ministry. However, in operations to be established by foreigners, at least one of the shareholders in such undertaking must be a real or legal person of Turkish nationality.
YACHT OPERATION
ARTICLE 27 –
(a) Real or legal persons may operate yachts subject to the obtention of the necessary certificate from the Ministry. The Ministry shall be authorized to grant permission, without having to comply with the provisions of article 823 of Turkish Commercial Law No. 6762, to hoist the Turkish Flag on those yachts which are otherwise unable to do so.
(b) Principles concerning the use of foreign-flag yachts along the Turkish coasts and between Turkish harbours shall be determined by the Council of Ministers as may be required.
PRINCIPLES OF NAVIGATION IN TERRITORIAL WATERS
ARTICLE 28 –
(a) Yachts coming in from foreign harbours to Turkish harbours and yachts leaving Turkish territorial waters en route to foreign harbours shall have to make their entry and exit through designated customs entry and exit points.
(b) Statements made and procedures fulfilled in accordance with the provisions of Articles 34, 35 and 41 of Customs Law No. 1615 by foreign-flag yachts coming in from foreign harbours or spending the winter in Turkey at the first harbours they call at or the last harbours at which they lay anchor for winter shall also count as valid at any other Turkish ports they may subsequently call at.
(c) Sanitary formalities carried out on yachts at any Turkish port shall remain valid for a period of one year and visas shall not be required of such yachts unless they call at a foreign port. However the nearest harbour administration or civil authority shall be informed immediately in the case of any death or the outbreak of any contagious disease.
(d) Foreign-flag yachts and yachts used by foreign nationals may in regions determined and announced by the Council of Ministers with the agreement of the Turkish General Staff: (i) cruise on routes shown in their cruise documents, and (ii) call and anchor at harbours along the route where there is no customs office, without any restrictions for sight-seeing purposes. Duration of Stay in Turkey of Yachts and Cabotage Rights
ARTICLE 29 – Foreign-flag yachts may stay up to two years in Turkey for maintenance, repair, docking or wintering purposes. This period may be extended in accordance with principles to be determined by the Council of Ministers. Turkish-flag yachts of certain specifications, to be determined jointly by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry, may be chartered to foreign nationals for such purposes as excursion, sport or entertainment. The use of yachts so chartered for commercial purposes is forbidden. The use of foreign-flag yachts for excursion, sport and entertainment purposes shall not be regarded as commercial passenger transportation.
LAW FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF TOURISM
Law No: 2634
Date of Passage: 12 March 1982
Official Gazette No: 17635
Date of Official Gazette: 16 March 1982
Updated on: 23 July, 2020
Source: http://www.ktb.gov.tr
