Problems of seagoing navigation in Bosphorus Strait
Ştefan Marius, Romanescu Gheorghe
Abstract. Problems of seagoing navigation in Bosphorus Strait. Navigation in the Black Sea basin has been known since ancient times and the old navigators used to pass from one sea to another through the main straits. In this case the Bosphorus Strait was the main passage between the Mediterranean basin and the Black Sea. Passage of vessels through the strait is hampered by several physical and geographical factors: morphology emersion and submersion, the hydrological and climatic parameters. In this respect the Turkish government had to raise the lights, to establish anchoring and mooring areas, to protect the coast, etc.. Due to the facts that the depth of the strait is extremely small, only 35 m in the northern part, at the entrance from the Black Sea, deep draft vessels have to travel at low speeds and use the high performance sonar. The fog, common in transitional seasons, often hampere navigation and very many accidents happen because of this inconvenience. Most accidents due to weather conditions (fog, wind) are specific to small vessels, which are not equipped with modern navigation equipment. The existence of surface currents, with the dominant north-south direction, from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, affect navigation only around heads and islands where causes circular currents. In this case are affected only pleasure boats or those who have small engines. Bosphorus Strait is one of the most important waterways of the planetary Ocean .
Keywords: strait, navigation, risk, morphology , hydro-climatical factors.
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