DIY Transit log in Bodrum.

[Appleyard]

And by DIY I mean not using an agent.

Using information we learned from meeting others,we managed it without too much hassle and saved a goodly bit of cash.The only downside is having to do a fair bit of legwork.

Firstly,don't go into the Marina..it is expensive for a short visit.
Go stern-to along the customs quay on the right hand side of the harbour as you enter.. .Show your passports and exit the customs area,and head right round the harbour to the Chamber of shipping office close to the marina(take all your documents),and ask them the prepare a new TL,which they will gladly do(we were unlucky as the computer was down for a while but eventually got the paperwork). You then have to leg it back round to the harbourmasters office who prints your details on the log ,the health office,passports again and customs,getting a stamp at each and eventually back to the HM who does the final stamp and hey presto you have a new Transit log for a third of the cost of using an agent and also saving a days Marina fees.You then have to hop it out of the customs quay and find somewhere else to go for the rest of the day.

 

[Chuteman]

Timing is Key

I also did DIY last fall..... BUT my timing was late am(by the time I got on track) which meant I hit lunch "hour" (more like 2.5 hrs) at the customs/immigration offices. So start early 9am or wait till after lunch

Wear comfortable shoes/sneakers because it will require some walking around the big harbor area. Water might help too because it will be very warm this time of the year

It took me awhile(wasted time & walking) to find a place to obtain the transit log because of old info from a few unnamed sources. I ended up getting it from the Bodrum Marina however the Chamber of Shipping office (VERY helpful) helped organize & input information into the computer system because without that the Harbor master office (no english spoken during my visit) could/would not do anything.

So yes, you can save the agent's fee (worthwhile) and get it done yourself but good instructions & a map is helpful - also ask along the way & people did point in the right direction

 

[Appleyard]

Good point Steve regarding the timing..if you hit lunch hour you are ....like the officials concerned....stuffed for a while.
The chamber of shipping office is located up a street just off the marina entrance ,and can be a bit awkward to find,however the staff there were very helpful ,despite the system being offline foe a while.
I reckon that it's worth the effort in the end as the cash saving is considerable.

 

[affinite]

Thanks for the info ...

Thanks for the info - Very interesting thread as we are heading that way in a few weeks.
As you are "on the spot" can I ask a couple of questions ...

Q1) How much do you save by cutting out the agent ?
Q2) Do you need a Turkish translation for your insurance (as in Greece) ?
Q3) Anyone ask you about Blue cards or Grey water tanks ?
Q4) Id also heard that Turgutries was a cheaper option and less leg work than Bodrum if comming in from the Greek Dodecanese. Do you know if this is true?

 

[Dave100456]

Thanks for the info - Very interesting thread as we are heading that way in a few weeks.
As you are "on the spot" can I ask a couple of questions ...

Q1) How much do you save by cutting out the agent ?
Q2) Do you need a Turkish translation for your insurance (as in Greece) ?
Q3) Anyone ask you about Blue cards or Grey water tanks ?
Q4) Id also heard that Turgutries was a cheaper option and less leg work than Bodrum if comming in from the Greek Dodecanese. Do you know if this is true?

Be good to have the answers plus...

I was told there is a boat size limit for DIY TLs do you know if this is the case?
Thanks for the other info.

 

[dod]

check out

Good to know they have changed their policy. Went to check out of Turkey 4 weeks ago and was told at the harbour master's office that I would need to go through agent (11m sailing boat) As I had never at any point in checking in or out of Turkey in the last 4 years had to use an agent I just gave them a look of disgust and left. No need to check out if you do not intend to return.

 

[Appleyard]

Thanks for the info - Very interesting thread as we are heading that way in a few weeks.
As you are "on the spot" can I ask a couple of questions ...

Q1) How much do you save by cutting out the agent ?
Q2) Do you need a Turkish translation for your insurance (as in Greece) ?
Q3) Anyone ask you about Blue cards or Grey water tanks ?
Q4) Id also heard that Turgutries was a cheaper option and less leg work than Bodrum if comming in from the Greek Dodecanese. Do you know if this is true?

(1) I saved about 160 euros in total..in agent's fees and marina charges.
(2) the English translation was OK
(3) nobody mentioned blue cards during the check in process..however we were issued one when the boat was launched at the end of april
(4) I believe that Turgutreis is easier that Bodrum,but have no experience of doing the check in there,perhaps someone else can offer that information.
(We checked in in Bodrum as the boat lives near there when we are back home,and we had come straight over from Kos)

I don't know of any size limit for a DIY check in.

 

[Appleyard]

Good to know they have changed their policy. Went to check out of Turkey 4 weeks ago and was told at the harbour master's office that I would need to go through agent (11m sailing boat) As I had never at any point in checking in or out of Turkey in the last 4 years had to use an agent I just gave them a look of disgust and left. No need to check out if you do not intend to return.

I don't think that they have changed their policy...we checked in to Bodrum 3 years ago without an agent . It was a bit of a hassle but we made it.

The people who tell you that you need an agent are probably agents themselves.
While we were waiting in the H.M,s office for the official to do the work,we kept being approached by agents asking us if we wanted them to do the work. I politely declined and thanked them,and got the procedure done OK.

 

[Appleyard]

This may be useful

I Google- Earthed the location of the Chamber of Shipping office near the Marina.
I'm pretty sure this is it 37deg 02'01.54 N 27 deg 25'17.21E.

There is an obvious sign on the front of the building . As I said,the staff there were very helpful ,despite the system crashing at one point.

 

[affinite]

(1) I saved about 160 euros in total..in agent's fees and marina charges.
(2) the English translation was OK
(3) nobody mentioned blue cards during the check in process..however we were issued one when the boat was launched at the end of april
(4) I believe that Turgutreis is easier that Bodrum,but have no experience of doing the check in there,perhaps someone else can offer that information.
(We checked in in Bodrum as the boat lives near there when we are back home,and we had come straight over from Kos)

I don't know of any size limit for a DIY check in.

Thanks for info

 

[dod]

I don't think that they have changed their policy...we checked in to Bodrum 3 years ago without an agent . It was a bit of a hassle but we made it.

The people who tell you that you need an agent are probably agents themselves.
While we were waiting in the H.M,s office for the official to do the work,we kept being approached by agents asking us if we wanted them to do the work. I politely declined and thanked them,and got the procedure done OK.

perhaps you should take a bit more care in reading posts as the reference is to
Check OUT not IN Tut Tut
There may be a difference and I'm sure you will know

 

[Appleyard]

Good to know they have changed their policy. Went to check out of Turkey 4 weeks ago and was told at the harbour master's office that I would need to go through agent (11m sailing boat) As I had never at any point in checking in or out of Turkey in the last 4 years had to use an agent I just gave them a look of disgust and left. No need to check out if you do not intend to return.

I don't understand the point that you seem to be trying to make..
You say "at any point in checking IN or OUT of Turkey" so why the Tut Tut?


My original purpose in starting this thread was to give information which could be useful to anyone contemplating having their paperwork done in Bodrum and wanting to save a bit of dosh.

 

[Chuteman]

My Experience

Q1) How much do you save by cutting out the agent ?
Q2) Do you need a Turkish translation for your insurance (as in Greece) ?
Q3) Anyone ask you about Blue cards or Grey water tanks ?
Q4) Id also heard that Turgutries was a cheaper option and less leg work than Bodrum if comming in from the Greek Dodecanese. Do you know if this is true?

Remember, my story is from November, 2011

Boat - 13m........never told I could not DIY and did not seem to matter
Agents - there seem to be lots of them = just someone who knows the system better than You & MAY have access to Computer system used.

Saved - 92 euros - Transit Log(blank) was 112 TL was the biggest expense
also had to pay for Immigration Entry Visa Stamp (15 euro) since this was my 1st visit to Turkey (subsequent one purchased at airport when I flew into Turkey)

Insurance Translation - I do not remember Insurance being an issue or even requested but the Chamber of Shipping person spoke/read English so he might have just extracted what he needed, My Declaration page is in English
Blue Cards - Never mentioned
Other Ports - A cruiser in Kos, Greece mentioned Bodrum was a multi-stop process vs other places but since I was headed to Bodrum I could not take advantage of easier process.

BTW - After buying the Transit Log, I sat on a bench next to the harbor and filled it in with all the proper info = a BIG no-no according to Harbor Master
or Customs, can't remember.......Only the Chamber of Shipping or "authorized"
agent can complete the form......oops The Chamber of Shipping rep was laid back and helpful and did not make a big deal of it but did confirm it should have been left blank.

Map - agree with comments that the location of the various stops i.e.; Chamber of Shipping is not difficult, but it was easier to have the map when asking for directions.....not fancy chart- just a photo copy of tourism map.

 

[tennisgirl1]

We checked in at Turgutreis in the afternoon in mid May. We were told that we could do it ourselves if we went to Bodrum, or we could get an agent to do it. The reason he gave was that there was no "doctor" at Turgutreis. We didn't fancy wasting a morning taking the dolmus to Bodrum and then trekking around so we paid the agent's fee and it cost quite a bit - 70 euros, plus the transit log fee, plus the entry visas. (30 euros) It was expensive but quick..

Later a German guy who been listening in to the conversation in the office walked by and told us he had done it himself in Turgutreis that same afternoon. We felt we had been duped.
Still we got away the next day and saved 54 euros on the night's marina fees it would have cost if we had gone to Bodrum by dolmus.

 

[[29051]]

I believe the limit for DIY transit logs is ten tonnes. The trouble is the computer system does not have the Y2 exit page for the harbour master to fill in. We did exit Datca without an agent last week but it was a struggle. The harbour master basis the tonnage on a formula which made our six tonne boat measure seventeen tonnes !

A new log today cost 83 euros all in using an agent.

 

[Appleyard]

I believe the limit for DIY transit logs is ten tonnes. The trouble is the computer system does not have the Y2 exit page for the harbour master to fill in. We did exit Datca without an agent last week but it was a struggle. The harbour master basis the tonnage on a formula which made our six tonne boat measure seventeen tonnes !

A new log today cost 83 euros all in using an agent.

That sounds very reasonable where was it?

 

[Chuteman]

tonnes?

The measurement of "tonnes" seems to be in the eye of the official/country.
My documents say 13 GRT / 12 NRT.
That topic also did not arise during the procedure however, the officials may have just taken it off my documents without discussing.

Thought I heard it mentioned at the Chamber of Shipping that an on-line system was being developed to allow owners to use the internet to start the process.
Don't hold your breath after observing the current "efficiency" in most countries handling of these matters.

P.S. Best Entry ever = St. Barths FWI, air conditioned, comfortable office, self service terminal, quick, efficient, friendly and reasonable, man I miss the Carib

 

[[29051]]

Sehir travel at the top of the new steps just left of the roundabout - near the rubbish bins. 190 TL. We thought it fair.

 

[Sybaris]

And by DIY I mean not using an agent.

The prices for checking in to Turkey are often confusing when reading comments on YBW.
How much did you pay for your Cruising Log?
and how big is your boat?

In 2010 the price for the Crusing Log had gone up to 70€ (cost price without adding agent fees) and some agents only charged an additional 10€ for the work and of course the Visa stamp costs (different depending on nationality).

For boats above 30 Gross Tonnes agents charged slightly more, and you have to pay a so called "Light house fee" of 115 YTL"

I have talked to several Gullet captains while sitting in agent offices and they all also have to use agents so I think there must be a size limit for the DIY option now since several years unless it has changed back again this year.

Cheers,
Per

 

[Squeaky]

Good afternoon:

I think the difficulty in securing a DIY transit log is connected to the need to supply a Turkish Identity card number which is x numbers is length and the system will not recognize anything else such as passport numbers etc.

Anyone in the chamber of shipping office would be able to provide this ID number on line and I am sure most of these offices could process the transit logs if they chose to do so and were not concerned about the reaction of the agents.

Additionally I was told that agents had to have a special bank account from which the fees could be paid. I am skeptical about this point personally.

As I have posted previously there are moves afoot which will let yachtsmen obtain a transit log on line using a credit card but as usual it is apparently being held up by inter-departmental squabbles about the proceeds.

As far as the gulet captains sitting around the offices are concerned they are probably cousins of the agent or long term friends who would say anything to support the agents point of view. Additionally they might well use agents to handle their paper work because they have to change their crew list pages every time they take on a new charter which can be a bore.

Cheers

Squeaky