Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait temporarily closed to naval traffic for passage of drilling platform

Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait temporarily closed to naval traffic for passage of drilling platform

ISTANBUL

AA photo

Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait was temporarily closed to naval traffic on Sept. 18 as a giant oil drilling platform made its way through the channel.

The Bahama-flagged ship is on its way from Romania’s Constanta Harbor to Spain’s Las Palmas Harbor.

The 115-meter-long and 75-meter-high drilling platform “Scarabeo 9,” weighing 36,863 gross tons, entered the strait at 8:45 a.m. local time, according to information obtained by state-run Anadolu Agency from the Turkish Coast Guard.

The drilling platform is being accompanied by four trailers as well as an emergency intervention ship and a boat.

A single lane closed down for the passage will be reopened to traffic once the platform leaves the strait later on Sept. 18.

The Bosphorus Strait separates Asia and Europe.