The "Regulation on Amending the Ports Regulation" was published in the Official Gazette dated April 14, 2023. Amendments and additions have been made to some articles of the Ports Regulation.
Exemption from pilotage services for Ro-Ro vessels making regular voyages, increasing the initial limit for pilotage and tugboat exemption in bunker tankers from 1000 GT to 5000 GT, exempting other vessels from pilotage and tugboat services when necessary, taking into account the "superior public interest", water draft control to pilots before exiting, etc. It contains a new set of rules.
With a new paragraph added to Article 8 of the Regulation, the exemption was made for the obligation of piloting in Ro-Ro passenger and Ro-Ro cargo ships. According to the same paragraph, Ro-Ro ships with a single main engine with bow and stern thrusters were also exempted from piloting. With the 15th paragraph added to the 8th article, the exemption authority granted for the Ro-Ro ships has been expanded by considering the superior public interest.
With the new changes, new limits were brought for fuel tankers. The pilot exemption limit for refueling ships has been increased from 1000 GT to 3000 GT. Previously, refueling ships were exempt from pilotage up to 1000 GT. While there is still an obligation to purchase tugboats with the condition of 2000 GT and above on all ships, the result of the new regulation means that this limit has been exceeded with the introduction of the 3000 GT initial limit for fuel tankers and exemption from pilotage and tugboats.
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