France chartered Turkish ship Demir according to a letter of the German naval attaché at Istanbul dated 2 March 1940

In his letter dated Istanbul, Turkey 2 March 1940 No. 801 g. reported the German naval attaché to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Abteilung Ausland the neutral ships passing Istanbul coming out of the Black Sea and loaded with contraband for or chartered by the enemy. An item reported on 28 February the Turkish ship Demir of the Turkish company Türk Schileptschalik Ltd Societé of 6,000 ton deadweight and just chartered by France for 6 months for -16/ton deadweight capacity/pro month and all cots including bunkering coal for French account. Only payment of crew and insurance coasts for the owner; war risks for French account. The French have at the moment 9 Turkish ships with a total deadweight of 43,300 ton chartered. It is unknown what the effects are of the decision of the Turkish cabinet that it was not allowed to visit harbours abroad.

Source

Bundesarchiv. German Marineattaché for Greece, Romania and Bulgaria 1939-1941. RM 12-II/459.