Oil tankers must provide letters of confirmation from the owner’s P&I Club attesting that coverage will remain in place under any circumstances for the duration of the transit, the time the ship is in Turkish waters, or the time it is in a port or terminal as of 01 December 2022 (extended to 02 December 2022), according to a notice from the Turkish government dated 16 November 2022.
After careful consideration by the International Group of P&I Clubs, it has been decided that Clubs cannot and should not send such a message to their Owner or Charterer members.
The broad information in a letter of confirmation of entrance is not all that the Turkish government requires.
It is necessary for a P&I Club to certify that coverage won’t be jeopardized in any situation, especially when the assured violates sanctions—whether knowingly and purposefully or mistakenly and unknowingly. Under these conditions, sending a confirmatory letter would put the Club in violation of sanctions under EU, UK, and US law, hence the Clubs are unable to accede to the Turkish Authority’s request.
