A large freight ship ran aground near Istanbul's Bosporus on Wednesday and a collision with the famous waterfront houses was avoided by a distance of only a couple of meters.

The ship named "Star Harmony," registered in Panama and carrying corn from Ukraine's Odessa port to Egypt ran aground off the Yeniköy district at around 8:20 a.m.

Naval traffic was disrupted as coastal safety units arrived at the scene to rescue the 189-meter-long ship with three tugboats and six rescue boats.

Authorities stated that there were no injuries and no environmental hazards following the incident.

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