GMM Safety | 2024-01-30 | Case Incidents |

The cargo ship, “SNP PAZAR,” blocked the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey on Saturday night of 27th January due to engine trouble. While sailing through the Bosphorus strait, the ship was traveling to the Greek port of Kalymnos when it experienced engine trouble near the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. Due to the malfunction not being resolved, the ship halted mid-transit, causing traffic in both directions in the strait to stop.

The cargo ship, SNP PAZAR, is a Bulk carrier vessel built in 2010 and registered in Barbados. The ship is 80m long, 13.6m wide, and has a draft of 6m. The rescue operation for the vessel was carried out under the coordination of the Istanbul Ship Traffic Services Center. The ship was rescued with Rescue Tug-7 and the tugboat, “Mehmetcik.” SNP PAZAR is now anchored at the Ahirkapi Anchorage Area in Istanbul. With the rescue completed, the traffic conditions in the strait have returned to normal.

The Bosphorus Strait is a waterway connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and is a waterway of international importance. It is the only natural maritime route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It sees heavy traffic from container ships, oil tankers, and general cargo vessels and provides access to Istanbul’s major port.