Turkish Competition Board Clears Ambarlı Pilotage Privatization: Key Takeaways On Regulated Monopoly Services

1. Introduction

The Turkish Competition Board (“Board”) issued its decision concerning the final notification for the transfer of the operating right for pilotage services in the Ambarlı Regional Service Area (“Ambarlı”)² through a tender process (“Decision”)³. The notification was made by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, and concerned the privatization of the operating right for pilotage services in Ambarlı under the Regulation on Pilotage and Towage Services published in the Official Gazette on 11 February 2025 (“2025 Regulation”).

The transaction concerned the transfer of the operating right for pilotage services in Ambarlı for 20 years. Following the open bidding process, Marin Römorkör ve Kılavuzluk AŞ (“MARINTUG”) submitted the highest valid bid, followed by Marmara Kılavuzluk AŞ (“MARKAŞ”) and Deniz Kılavuzluk AŞ (“DEKAŞ”) as the second and third highest bidders.