ISTANBUL

A total of 38,551 vessels passed through the Strait of Istanbul in 2021, according to official data released on Tuesday.

The number of vessels using the strait was almost unchanged compared with the previous year's figure of 38,400, the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry announced.

A total of 631.9 million gross tons of cargo were carried through the strait over the last year, up from 619.7 million gross tons in 2020.

In 2021, 25,357 vessels passed through the Istanbul Strait with a harbor pilot.

The strait saw 5,306 vessels longer than 200 meters (656 feet) during the same period.

General cargo ships had a major share in total traffic with 16,891 vessels.

Meanwhile, 43,342 vessels passed through the Strait of Canakkale in 2021, up from 42,036 a year earlier.

A total of 898.4 million gross tons of cargo was carried through the waterway in the northwestern Turkiye in 2021, up from 858.8 million gross tons in 2020.

The strait saw 14,197 general cargo ships last year.