In today’s Official Gazette, an amendment has been published to the Communiqué on Tariff and Instructions for Coastal Facilities Marine Pollution Compulsory Financial Liability Insurance, originally dated 25 April 2018.

The amendment introduces substantial increases to the minimum limits required for compulsory liability insurance for coastal facilities and revises the capacity-based tariff structure. The amendments will take effect from 1 January 2026.

Who Is Affected?

The regulation applies to all “Coastal Facilities” as defined under the Law No. 5312 on the Principles of Intervention in Emergencies and Compensation of Damages in Pollution of the Marine Environment by Oil and Other Harmful Substances. The entities required to comply include:

• Refineries, ports and stations where petroleum and petroleum products are loaded or discharged;

• Fueling and storage facilities, gas terminals, energy power plants, industrial production facilities;

• Ports and piers where cargo is loaded or discharged;

• Terminals, shipyards, ship construction and repair facilities;

• All coastal facilities where the same or similar activities are conducted and which fall within the scope of the Law No. 5312.

Facilities listed above are required to carry financial liability insurance covering damages to the marine environment, including clean-up costs as well as the transportation and disposal of wastes resulting from pollution incidents.

Increased Minimum Liability Limits

The applicable liability insurance limits have been amended as follows:

Additionally, rules have been introduced regarding the method for determining further increases of the limits:

• The limits will be increased at the beginning of each calendar year in line with the annual rate of change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute.

• If the announced rate is negative, it will be treated as zero.

Special Provision for Petroleum Facilities

For coastal facilities whose principal activity involves the handling of petroleum or petroleum derivatives, the required minimum liability insurance cover will be three times the limits set out in the table above. This amendment underscores the higher risk classification of facilities primarily engaged in oil-related operations.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for any questions or further information on this new development.