Turkey says to continue blocking oil tankers without proper insurance

ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey’s maritime authority said on Thursday it would continue to block the passage of oil tankers without appropriate insurance letters, adding that the insurance checks on ships in its waters was a “routine procedure.”

A Turkish measure in force since the start of the month has caused shipping delays. It requires vessels to provide proof of insurance covering the duration of their transit through the Bosphorus strait or when calling at Turkish ports.

(Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Can Sezer; Editing by Jonathan Spicer)