Turkey reports record cruise passenger numbers and safe departure of 15 vessels from Gulf

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said that in May 2026 a total of 169 cruise ships called at Turkish ports, carrying 257,897 passengers – the highest cruise‑ship and passenger figures in the past 14 years. He detailed the traffic: Kuşadası Port received 75 ships and 127,670 passengers, Istanbul 31 ships and 59,176 passengers, Bodrum 11 ships and 10,889 passengers, and other ports 52 ships with 60,162 passengers. Over the first five months of 2026, 324 cruise ships arrived and 455,580 passengers were recorded, up 2.2% and 3.9% respectively.

Uraloğlu also announced that as of 26 June 2026 all 15 Turkish‑owned vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Basra had safely left the area, with no request for an immediate departure. Three Turkish vessels remain on commercial activities in the Gulf, and 99 Turkish crew members are still aboard those ships.