3 Simulation-based risk analysis of maritime transit traffic in the Strait of Istanbul

There are also some non-natural factors making navigation through the Strait of Istanbul hazardous. One of them is the dense local traffic, such as intra-city passenger boats, fast ferries, fishing boats, pleasure boats, tugboats etc. (VTS User Guide, 2004). Another important non-natural factor that negatively effects navigation in the Strait is the frequency and cargo characteristics of transit vessels. Over 56,600 vessels (10,050 being dangerous material carriers) traveled through the Strait of Istanbul in 2007.