The Ministry of Environment, Urban Planning and Climate Change has drafted a new road map to clear sunken ships from Turkey's seas. The ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the waters are home to hundreds of shipwrecks and the number is increasing, prompting pollution and safety concerns.

Shipwrecks, especially those carrying large fuel loads and cargo, also emerge as a danger to the marine ecosystem.

The ministry said it was essential to investigate whether the shipwrecks, particularly in the Marmara Sea, cause metal pollution by releasing fuel in the water, which may cause a resurgence of marine mucilage, or sea snot, that affected the sea last year.

A draft regulation on the issue was sent to maritime commerce chambers across the country for their suggestions. The regulation sets out a series of measures for the removal of shipwrecks that cannot be transported to Turkey’s main Aliağa shipbreaking hub in the western Turkish province of Izmir. Along with shipwrecks, it covers the removal of half-sunken ships that cannot be removed from their current location due to logistical reasons.

Under the regulation, the ships that cannot be dismantled at a safe site will be dismantled on-site after the ministry approves the application for their removal and if experts from local universities also approve. It also stipulates that the environment must be properly protected during the dismantling process.