Rescue operations for the large freight ship that ran aground off Yeniköy district yesterday started on Thursday, temporarily closing the two-way international shipping traffic in Istanbul's Bosporus from 8.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m.

According to a statement released by the Chamber of Shipping, the ship named "Star Harmony," registered in Panama and carrying corn from Ukraine's Odessa port to Egypt, ran aground off Yeniköy district at around 8:20 a.m. on Wednesday, avoiding a collision with the famous waterfront houses by a distance of only a couple of meters.

No loss of life, injuries or environmental hazards occurred following the accident of the 189-meter-long ship.

Ships and vessels participating in the local Bosporus traffic will be able to continue their course, on the condition that warnings from stations are regarded and necessary life and environment security are provided, the statement added.

The heavy shipping traffic in the Turkish Straits, which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, causes concern for public and environmental safety in a region that is home to millions of people.