AKT LAW

Shipping & Logistics, Banking & Finance, Corporate, Taxation, Maritime, Dispute Resolutions, International Arbitration

Ms. Melek Başak Aldı joined AKT Law Firm as an Associate in 2022 and was promoted to Senior Associate in 2025.

Melek Başak Aldı graduated from Istanbul Kultur University and completed her bachelor’s degree in 2019. Thereafter in June 2024, she has completed her LL.M. in Business Law graduating from Istanbul Bilgi University, focusing on an English case law called “Eternal Bliss” by way of comparing the concept of demurrage under English law and Turkish law.

She qualified as a solicitor of England and Wales in May 2025, further strengthening her international legal credentials.

Melek Başak Aldı focuses on ship financing, ship purchase and sale, commercial dispute resolution, real estate and transportation sectors. She is also gaining experience in shipbuilding as she has been assisting top tier shipyards with negotiating shipbuilding contracts, conversion agreements and technical disputes arising from shipbuilding contracts. She is currently handling four different arbitration proceedings arising from shipbuilding contracts and supply contracts under Norwegian laws, English laws and Swiss laws.

She has also been given the chance by her firm to attend Istanbul Arbitration Week as a panellist on the subject of "Construct Disputes: Any lessons to be learned from past" and discussed about shipbuilding disputes.

Her core practice includes ship purchase and sale, ship financing, shipping and admiralty matters, acting for shipowners and agencies, handling cargo damage, loss, shortage, and contamination claims. She has notable experience in negotiating ship sale and purchase transactions and charter parties, specifically relating to performance claims under time charters. She has also experience in negotiating and enforcement of asset finance contracts, arresting of vessels, enforcement and settlement proceedings, restructuring, and bankruptcy proceedings, administrative and civil litigation. Başak also has been known for her extensive knowledge in ship registry, especially for vessels flying Turkish flag, as well as other flags such as Malta, Marshall Islands, Barbados, Panama, British Virgin Islands, Guinea-Bissau and Bahamas.

She has created herself a reputation for being a force to be reckoned with when it comes to tough negotiations as an ambitious advocate for her Clients’ rights and claims. Başak has successfully assisted Turkish banks and international financial institutions with complex re-finance and finance projects.

She is also involved in commercial litigation in connection with disputes arising from loan and mortgage agreements, contracts of carriage such as cargo claims and crew claims as well as international trade conflicts. She regularly advises financial institutions, banks, P&I Clubs, ship owners, shipyards, agencies and freight forwarders.

Başak has advised Financial Times on Turkish law aspects in terms of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. You may find the article in the link below.

https://www.ft.com/content/86d2be80-d69c-4b93-b448-dd006b070854?shareType=nongift

Başak is also the co-author of an article namely “Oral Hearings in Maritime Arbitration:  A New Era for Virtual Hearings” together with M. Cem Kaspi, published in Maritime Arbitration Report in May 2022 by Jus Mundi. You may access the article in the link below.

https://bit.ly/JM-maritime-arbitration-report

She is also one of the co-authors of Legal500 Shipping Comparative Guide.

https://www.legal500.com/guides/chapter/turkey-shipping/

English, Turkish

Ms. Melek Başak Aldı is a member of Istanbul Bar Association and WISTA Turkey.

Istanbul Kultur University, Law Faculty (2019) Istanbul Bilgi University, LL.M. in Private Law (2024)