Ships are recycled in Türkiye at the facilities at Aliağa, under the Ship Recycling Facilities Regulation of 22 June 2026, which authorises the facilities under the Hong Kong Convention — approved for ratification by Türkiye by Law No. 6931 of 2017 — and replaced the Ship Dismantling Regulation of 2004 (Ship Recycling Facilities Regulation, arts 1, 25). What a seller, a cash buyer and a recycler need to know:
- Authorised facility. A facility may recycle a vessel within the Convention only if it holds a recycling authorisation certificate from the Ministry of Transport, valid for up to five years (Ship Recycling Facilities Regulation, art. 9).
- Recycling plan. Before a vessel is recycled the facility prepares a ship-specific recycling plan, in Turkish with a translation into English, French or Spanish, and applies to the Ministry for its approval (art. 5).
- Notice to the harbour master. The facility notifies the harbour master in writing of its intention to recycle the vessel and, once the International Ready for Recycling Certificate has been issued, of the planned start date; the vessel is not berthed and recycling is not started without that notification (art. 18).
- Recycling in place. No vessel may be recycled outside an authorised facility; recycling in place is allowed only in compulsory cases with the Environment Ministry's approval, and unauthorised recycling in place attracts fines — one million lira for the owner at the 2026 figure, revalued each year; check the figure in force (arts 21, 22).
The full procedure, from plan to completion, is on the shipbuilding, repair and recycling page.
Updates
29/09/2026
- Notice published; Regulation text checked on mevzuat.gov.tr.
22/06/2026
- Ship Recycling Facilities Regulation published in the Official Gazette; Ship Dismantling Regulation of 2004 repealed (art. 25).