A delivery from Turkey to Cyprus is a short open-sea crossing, but the island's two separate administrations directly shape the route and paperwork. Which port you are going to is the first question to settle before crossing.
We do not offer deliveries on this route. This page is a guide for owners planning the passage themselves. Our skippered deliveries run along the Turkish coast between Istanbul and Fethiye, and we can survey the boat before departure anywhere on the Turkish coast: calculate the survey fee.
Two administrations
- Ports in the north
- Ports such as Kyrenia (Girne) and Famagusta (Gazimağusa); arriving from Turkey, entry is cleared in these ports.
- Ports of the Republic of Cyprus
- The ports in the south; the Republic of Cyprus does not recognise the northern ports as official entry points. Boats arriving from, or having visited, the north can face penalties, and restrictions may apply by flag.
Because the rules change from time to time, the current position is confirmed with an agent when planning the route.
Planning
- Destination and paperwork. Exit clearance in Turkey, entry at the destination port.
- Insurance. The policy's navigation limits must include Cyprus and the destination port.
- Weather. A window for the open-sea crossing.
- Crew. Passports and the destination's entry conditions.
The open-sea crossing
The crossing from the Turkish coast to Cyprus is short but entirely in open sea, with no harbour of refuge on the way. So the weather window is chosen to cover the whole crossing and conditions on arrival. Departure is timed so that arrival is in daylight.
Shipping traffic
Commercial shipping is heavy in the Eastern Mediterranean. During the crossing AIS and radar are kept running and the watch follows traffic constantly. When closing a large ship, showing intentions early and clearly lets both sides decide correctly.
Documents
Several copies of the boat's papers, insurance policy, crew list and passports are prepared; on arrival more than one authority may ask for the same documents. A digital copy is also held by the owner and the skipper.
The return
If the boat is not staying in Cyprus, the return is planned with the same care: on return to Turkey, entry formalities are done at an official port of entry. On a one-way delivery, the crew's return is part of the plan.
Boat preparation
Even on a short crossing, open-sea safety gear, liferaft, radio and navigation lights are checked before departure.
Rules
Because the rules between the island's two administrations change from time to time, current conditions for the destination port are confirmed with an agent before departure.
Timing
Spring and autumn often offer settled windows; in summer, afternoon winds are allowed for in timing the arrival.
The departure port is chosen to shorten the open-sea crossing and allow exit formalities from Turkey; if the boat comes from another coast, the coastal passage to it is planned as a separate leg. In winter, low-pressure systems crossing the Eastern Mediterranean can make the crossing hard, so windows are shorter and chosen with more care.
Approaching the destination, port control is called on the radio for berthing instructions. After arrival the owner is told the boat's state and the outcome of entry formalities, with the photographic arrival record sent the same day as the record of how the crossing went.
Short as it is, an open-sea crossing gets the same seriousness as any passage; safety gear is ready and every crew member knows their role, whatever the forecast says.