Turkey Will Continue Insurance Checks Despite Growing Congestion

Turkey will continue to verify insurance papers and will block oil tankers without appropriate papers, despite growing congestion in Turkish waters, Turkey’s maritime authority said.

• There are currently a total of 28 tankers waiting to pass the Turkish straits.
• The number of tankers waiting in the Black Sea to cross Istanbul's Bosphorus strait rose to 19 from 16 earlier on Thursday, while nine additional vessels are waiting at the Dardanelles strait, down by three from a day earlier.
• Talks between Western and Turkish officials on steps to resolve the queues were ongoing, a British Treasury official said.