10 September 2026·2 min read
Maritime Waste Application (DAU): What Changes with Circular No. 2026/12?
Son güncelleme: 10 September 2026
Kısa yanıt
Circular No. 2026/12 (09.09.2026) makes an 80% waste tank fill ratio the primary trigger for delivery under Turkey's Maritime Waste Application (DAU) — vessels reaching that threshold must deliver waste immediately, regardless of time limits. For vessels below 80%, delivery windows were extended (15 to 20 days for under-12-person capacity, 10 to 15 days for 12 and above), and the pre-departure delivery requirement was removed entirely.
Turkey's General Directorate of Environmental Management, under the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change, has revised the procedures governing the Maritime Waste Application (DAU) — the digital system for declaring and tracking ship-generated waste — through Circular No. 2026/12, dated 09.09.2026. It replaces the previous Circular No. 2022/14 of 10.09.2022.
DAU sits within a layered legal framework: Law No. 2872 on Environmental Protection sets the underlying obligations and administrative sanctions; the Regulation on Waste Reception from Ships and Waste Control (aligned with MARPOL 73/78) sets the delivery obligation (Article 10) and sanctions for non-compliance (Article 28); and the DAU circular specifies how these obligations are carried out digitally through the Port Single Window System and the Blue Card System.
The new circular introduces four changes to Article 6(3): it clarifies that for vessels under the Blue Card System, the obligation applies specifically while the vessel is navigating within Turkish maritime jurisdiction; it makes an 80% tank fill ratio the primary trigger for delivery, overriding time-based limits whenever the two criteria conflict; it extends the delivery windows for vessels below that 80% threshold — from 15 to 20 days for vessels with a carrying capacity under 12 persons, and from 10 to 15 days for vessels with 12 or more; and it removes the earlier requirement for vessels with 12+ person capacity to deliver waste before departing again if their next voyage falls within 10 days.
Obligations apply under two regimes: the Ship Waste Tracking System (GATS) for oil tankers of 150 GRT and above and other vessels of 400 GRT and above, where ship agents submit declarations via the Port Single Window at least 24 hours before arrival; and the Blue Card System (MKS) for fishing, sport and pleasure vessels — including yachts — where the captain, owner or agent registers the vessel through shore facilities, with first-time foreign-flagged entrants registering alongside their cruising permit.
For yacht owners and operators, tracking the tank fill ratio is now more important than tracking the calendar — vessels approaching the 80% threshold should plan waste delivery in advance. While the extended windows add operational flexibility, an accurate and up-to-date fill-ratio declaration will be decisive during inspections, and non-compliance can trigger administrative fines under Law No. 2872.
Sıkça Sorulan Sorular
Which earlier circular does No. 2026/12 replace?
Circular No. 2026/12, dated 09.09.2026, replaces Circular No. 2022/14 of 10.09.2022, which had been in force for four years.
Why does the 80% fill ratio matter under DAU?
Under the new rules, a vessel whose waste tank fill ratio reaches 80% must deliver waste to the nearest reception facility or waste collection vessel immediately, regardless of time-based limits — when the time and fill-ratio criteria conflict, fill ratio now governs.
Which system applies to yachts under DAU?
Fishing, sport and pleasure vessels — including yachts — fall under the Blue Card System (MKS); the captain, owner or agent must register the vessel through shore facilities.
Was the pre-departure waste delivery requirement removed?
Yes. The previous requirement for vessels with 12 or more person capacity to deliver waste before departing again, if their next voyage fell within 10 days, has been fully removed by Circular No. 2026/12.
