Provisional Article 3 of The Directive Regarding Authorised Institutions for Ships which was published in Official Gazette with 29952 numbered and January 18th,2017 dated, has been amended through a new amending directive published in Official Gazette with 31078 numbered and March 24th,2020 dated, as follows;

• It is not compulsory to have a class certificate issued by Authorised Institutions (AI) for Turkish-flagged passenger ships that have seaworthiness certificate for short-distance cruise and cruise to islands in the Aegean Sea in conformity with the rule of International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) that the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure shall give exemptions provided that applicants do not sail more than 20 miles away from the nearest shore in cruises within sheltered areas.

• Passenger Ships which are mentioned in the first paragraph must obtain a class certificate issued by AI within 3 years since the effective date of this provision.

• In cruises to islands in the Aegean Sea, it is compulsory to have a class certificate issued by AI for passenger ships that have seaworthiness certificates for short-distance cruise issued (or will be issued) after the effective date of this provision and this passenger ships continue to operate with class certificates.

• Certification of passenger ships cruise to islands in the Aegean Sea is made by the Ministry upon the request.

• Certification procedures are continued by the Ministry or AI until the authorization protocol is made for ships making international cruise that are not subjected to port state control, commercial yachts making international cruise and carrying 12 or fewer passengers, and ships that make national cruises.