Current Status of Seafarers’ Victualling Allowance: 2025 and 2026 Period

The daily cash victualling allowances for seafarers working on vessels where catering services are not established have been updated by the Seafarers’ Victualling Allowance Assessment Board within the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. However, current economic indicators and global standards suggest that these official figures remain at the lower end of industry costs.

Historical Development and Official Figures

The daily victualling allowance has been periodically re-regulated based on economic indicators and food inflation:

• Year 2024: As of March 2024, the allowance was applied at 230 TL.
• Year 2025: Following the assessment conducted on February 19, 2025, and published in the Official Gazette on March 4, 2025, the daily victualling allowance was set at a net 325 TL.

Economic Analysis and USD Equivalence

As of the current period, the 325 TL allowance is equivalent to approximately 8.91 USD. When evaluated against international maritime standards and commercial shipping operations, this figure sits at the absolute minimum threshold of sector averages.

Sectoral Cost Analysis and International Standards

Daily catering costs per person on commercial vessels (such as dry bulk carriers and tankers) generally range between 8 USD and 20 USD. This cost is determined by several critical factors:

• Supply Points: Provisions sourced from “cheap” ports can keep costs lower, whereas supplies obtained from expensive ports or via supply boats at offshore locations significantly increase the budget.
• Vessel Type: For specialized vessels such as passenger ships or offshore units (seismic, platform, etc.), these costs are considerably higher due to personnel profiles and operational requirements.
• Logistics and Ancillary Expenses: Beyond food itself, beverages, specialized dietary requirements, and supply chain logistics are major factors that drive up total costs.

Caloric Requirements and Productivity

While international standards do not mandate a specific monetary value, they emphasize nutritional adequacy. It is generally assessed that a seafarer requires an average of 4,800 calories per day to maintain physical health and operational safety.

Critical Note: Due to the global rise in food prices and supply chain expenses, some shipowners and operators have attempted to cut these costs. This trend frequently leads to personnel dissatisfaction, which in turn results in a decrease in overall productivity and morale.

2026 Expectations

The Board is expected to convene in the first quarter of 2026 to determine the daily cash victualling allowance for the upcoming period. The primary factors for this update will include:

1. Annual food inflation rates.
2. Fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
3. Global supply chain and logistics costs.

Until a new decision is published in the Official Gazette and enters into force, the current rate of 325 TL will remain valid.

Based on this data, it is evident that the official rate (325 TL / 8.91 USD) is struggling to keep pace with market realities, making a comprehensive update for 2026 highly anticipated.