Legislative Decree No. 655 on Organization and Duties of the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication.

This Ministerial Decree lays down provisions concerning the organization, duties, powers and responsibilities of the Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communication. It sets forth the main duty and responsibility of the Ministry as determining, implementing and updating, when required, national policy, strategy and objectives on the issues of transport, maritime affairs, communication and ensuring the services and works related with transport, maritime affairs and communication is provided in a fast, economical, secure and qualified way ‘by promoting public benefit and in a way to cause least harm to the environment (Paragraph (e), Article. 2)’.
The Decree further sets out the organization of the Ministry and the duties of different service units. Some of the main duties and responsibilities of the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs and Inland Waters Regulation are ensuring that the activities of sea and inland water transport can be provided in a way to cause least harm to the environment, defining rights, liabilities and responsibilities of those who produce services in sea and inland water transport business and those who use such services and Specifying professional competency conditions of those who run ports, landing stages or coastal structures and ships and who are organizers, agents, commissioners and deal with similar activities in sea and inland water transport and people who work in this business, especially seamen; providing those necessary training or having others provide it, testing them or having others test; authorizing these people and supervising them (Article.9). Some of the main duties and responsibilities of the General Directorate of Maritime Trade are Specifying principles and procedures of policies, strategies, objectives and practices related with national maritime and maritime trade (Article. 11).