PURPOSE

To ensure the safety of life, property, navigation and the environment in line with the principles of profitability and efficiency, within the framework of current legislation and international agreements, the Maritime Law and Article 4 of the Main Status of the Organization.

HISTORY

Within the scope of the duties arising from the main status of our Directorate General, the salvage services are provided by the MARITIME SERVICES DEPARTMENT. The beginning of these services in Turkey dates back to the British company "Kilcher & Walkers Co", which was founded in Istanbul in 1926. This company had 8 Salvage Ships/Tugs, the names of which were "La Nina", "La Valetta", "Cleopatra", "Cesar", "Kicknar", "Sanbel Parados" and "Belos".

Of these ships, "Sambel Parados" was carrying the Danish flag, "Belos" was carrying the Greek flag, and the others were carrying the British flag. With the enactment of the Cabotage Law of 1930 and the nationalization of salvage services in Turkish territorial waters, this company became Turkish Salvage Ltd. and the tugboats switched to the Turkish flag.

Salvage ships/tugboats named "AKBAŞ", "HORA", "KILYOS" and "SAROS" started to serve within the Salvage Company of the Directorate General of Maritime Lines since 1940. The Salvage Company was incorporated  into to the Maritime Bank of the Republic of Türkiye with the Law No. 5842 dated 1952.  In 1967, the "ALEMDAR II" rescue ship, as well as the "DALGIÇ 1" diver and support boat, and the "SÖNDÜREN-1" fire boat, built in 1974, were brought to the organization. The organization became a full member of the International Salvage Union (ISU) in 1985.

The Organization, which continued its service in the form of "Salvage and Towage Company" with the Law No. 233 dated 1984 within the Turkish Maritime Enterprises, then merged with the Coastal Safety Enterprise in 1994 and started to serve under the name of Coastal Safety and Salvage Administration. In 1995, the oceangoing salvage vessel named "TDI KURTARAN" joined the organization's fleet.

SERVICES PROVIDED

 - To render salvage, assistance and towage services at all seas including salvage and assistance services for the vessels more than 300 register tonnages having an accident and their cargoes as monopoly except for war ships and auxiliary vessels, to operate as monopoly the rescue stations (sea and land based lifeboat service) which have been founded and will be founded, in Turkish territorial waters between Şile Lighthouse and Karaburun Lighthouse in Black Sea, and in the Turkish territorial waters between Kemikli area in Saros Bay and Bababurnu in Aegean Sea including Bozcaada and Gökçeada(İmroz) coasts, and also in Black Sea, Çanakkale Strait and Marmara Sea between these two borders.

-  To provide pilotage, tugboat, mooring and frogman services, to remove shipwrecks within the frame of management principles.

In order to respond to a possible environmental pollution in salvage operations,  equipment such as offshore and port barriers, fire barriers, skimmers, sea slugs and barges are available within the organization.