Maritime and Cabotage Day is an official holiday celebrated annually on July 1st that symbolizes the Republic of Turkey’s sovereignty over its waters and its national economic independence. The concept of "cabotage," which forms the basis of the holiday, rests on the principle that a state grants the right to operate commercial vessels along its own coasts and within its territorial waters exclusively to its own citizens and to ships flying its flag. In international law, this right is recognized as one of the sovereign powers of states.