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Turkish project envisions an artificial waterway parallel to the Bosphorus, amid the global search for less congested and safer maritime routes, as tensions in strategic straits reignite alerts about trade, energy, environment, and supply of large cities.
Turkey maintains plans for the Istanbul Canal, an artificial waterway of about 45 kilometers designed to connect the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and create a route parallel to the Bosphorus Strait, one of the most sensitive maritime passages between Europe and Asia.
The project envisions a base with 275 meters of width and 20.75 meters of depth, according to official data from the Turkish government.
The project has gained new weight in the debate about maritime bottlenecks because it occurs in a scenario of tension over the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route for energy in the Middle East.
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In 2024, about 20 million barrels of oil per day passed through Hormuz, a volume equivalent to approximately one-fifth of the global consumption of petroleum liquids, according to the United States Energy Information Administration.
Istanbul Canal targets pressure on the Bosphorus
The Turkish government presents the Istanbul Canal as a solution to reduce the pressure on the Bosphorus, a natural passage that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and, consequently, to the Mediterranean.
The route is used by commercial vessels from countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, and Georgia, as well as ships transporting energy cargoes and industrial products.
According to the official proposal, the new canal would cut through the European part of Istanbul and open a navigation alternative to the Bosphorus.
The stated goal is to reduce the risk of accidents in a narrow, urbanized, and heavily trafficked area, where large ships pass close to densely populated areas.
The Turkish presidency states that the project is designed to accommodate large draft vessels and also includes associated structures such as ports, a marina, a recreation area, and a logistics center.
The official material estimates the construction cost at 75 billion Turkish liras, with execution planned through a public-private partnership.
Billion-dollar project still has uncertainties
Despite the launch ceremony in 2021 and the construction of the Sazlıdere bridge, the progress of the Istanbul Canal does not occur in a linear fashion.
Reuters reported in May 2025 that the plan was practically stalled due to financial difficulties, economic instability, and public opposition, although the Minister of Transport, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, stated that the government would proceed with the work when adequate funding is available.
This difference between political ambition and practical execution explains why the project appears strategic but is still surrounded by uncertainties.
In April 2026, images distributed by Reuters indicated that the Sazlıdere bridge, planned to cross the future waterway, was still under construction, while the neighboring reservoir continued to be a significant water source for Istanbul.
The discussion also gained momentum because maritime routes function as pressure points in the global economy.
When a strait becomes congested, blocked, or threatened, shipowners, insurers, and cargo buyers begin to recalculate risks, deadlines, and costs, which can affect everything from fuels to industrial products.
In the case of Hormuz, recent instability reinforced the vulnerability of concentrated maritime corridors.
Reuters reported in May 2026 that importing countries, such as India, sought oil from other regions after disruptions in the area, while U.S. authorities argued that passage through the strait needed to remain open.
Black Sea and Mediterranean at the center of the logistical dispute
The Istanbul Canal also has geopolitical weight because it involves access to the Black Sea, a region that gained importance after the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Navigation in this area crosses interests in agricultural exports, energy transport, military security, and the circulation of goods between ports in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and the Mediterranean.
In the view of the Turkish government, a second passage would help distribute the flow of ships and reduce the risks of collisions, groundings, and accidents with dangerous cargo.
The justification is mainly associated with vessels transporting fuels, chemicals, and other materials that could cause environmental damage in case of an incident in the Bosphorus.
On the other hand, the proposal raises legal and diplomatic doubts.
The regime of passage through the Turkish straits is regulated by the Montreux Convention of 1936, which establishes rules for civilian and military vessels in the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles.
The Turkish government maintains that the new canal does not automatically alter this regime, but experts and opponents see a risk of interpretative dispute.
Environmental impacts concern researchers
Environmental criticisms are among the main obstacles to the Istanbul Canal.
Researchers point out that the northern part of the city is already under pressure from megaprojects such as the airport, highways, and new urban areas, which reduce the connectivity of the Northern Forests of Istanbul and fragment important ecological corridors for local biodiversity.
One of the most sensitive points involves the natural difference between the waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara.
The Black Sea receives large rivers from Eastern Europe and has lower salinity compared to the system influenced by the Mediterranean; meanwhile, the Bosphorus maintains a complex circulation between these bodies of water.
The opening of a parallel canal could alter currents, oxygenation, and water composition, according to studies and criticisms gathered by coastal and environmental engineering specialists.
An article published in 2026 by the American Society of Civil Engineers pointed out projections of significant and potentially irreversible pollution in the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus.
There is also concern about Istanbul’s water supply.
Environmentalists and local authorities opposed to the project claim that the construction could affect freshwater reservoirs near the route, especially in a metropolis already facing urban pressure, population growth, and climate risks.
Project continues as Erdogan’s political bet
The Istanbul Canal was announced by Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2011, when he was still prime minister, and has since been treated as one of the major infrastructure projects of his political group.
Since then, the proposal combines promises of logistical gains, urban reorganization, and increased Turkish influence on routes between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
The opposition, however, accuses the government of prioritizing an expensive and environmentally risky venture instead of investing in areas such as safe housing, earthquake infrastructure, and water resource protection.
In Istanbul, the debate also mixes with the dispute between the central government and the municipal administration, which has already positioned itself against the canal.
The economic dimension remains open.
Although the old official data cites 75 billion Turkish liras, Reuters estimated this value at about US$ 1.95 billion in 2025, while previous international analyses pointed to broader cost ranges, between US$ 10 billion and US$ 20 billion, depending on associated works and the financing model.
In practice, the Istanbul Canal remains a high-cost strategic bet, defended by the Turkish government as an alternative to the Bosphorus and contested by scientists, environmentalists, and political opponents.
The physical progress of the project still depends on funding, administrative decisions, and legal disputes, while the crisis in Hormuz reinforces the centrality of maritime straits for the global economy.
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