Tag: Ukraine

Ukraine has acceded to the 1988 Protocol relating to the International Convention on Load Lines. On Wednesday, November 5, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, agreed with IMO to deposit the instruments of accession. The 1988 Load lines Protocol now has 110 Contracting States, representing more than 97% of world merchant shipping tonnage.

Ukraine announced that it resumes grain shipments from the Azov Sea, which was blocked for about 10 days, due to a military tension with Russia in the Kerch Strait. Ukraine also imposed martial law on November 26, in some regions, because of the situation with Russia.

On the aftermath of the imposition of the martial law, foreign vessels heading to Ukrainian ports on the Azov Sea, such as Mariupol and Berdyansk, may be detained in the Kerch Strait for inspection and search. However, this is possibly not the case for vessels heading to Russian Ports, according to data provided by Dias Marine Consulting.

Ukrainian Dias Marine Consulting informed that, after the attack of Ukrainian naval support vessels by Russian warships, traffic through the Kerch Channel was resumed on 26 November at 04.00 a.m. Foreign vessels calling to Russian ports of Azov Sea pass Channel without problems. Vessels which scheduled for Ukrainian ports are checked by Russian FSB service.

The UK P&I Club issued updated information regarding the conditions of ship detentions in Ukraine. Citing information provided by local correspondents, Dias Marine Consulting, the Club said that the scheme implemented by the representatives of the Ecological Inspection to detain ships which refused to allow samples of segregated ballast, is abandoned at present.

The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority signed agreements with the Egyptian ports of Alexandria and Damietta on 2nd of November. These agreements aim to establish a bilateral working group with representatives of shipping lines, traders, port operators to discuss the implementation of joint projects.

Standard Club's Loss Prevention department reminds operators about the ongoing problems regarding false ecological inspections in Ukrainian Ports. As the Club reports, it has been informed that they have seen an increase in the quantity of such incidents. These incidents are affecting foreign vessels,

Following the joint efforts of the ITF, the MTWTU, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, as well as lawyers, seafarers’ relatives and other parties concerned, 57 Ukrainian seafarers returned back home in June and July of 2018, after being stranded in abandoned vessels for months. 

The EU Council has prolonged economic sanctions targeting the financial, energy and defence sectors, and the area of dual-use goods of the Russian economy until 31 January 2019. The Council unanimously adopted this decision by written procedure, on 5 July 2018.

The West of England P&I Club published an update regarding the situation in the Ukraine about access to vessels for ecological inspectors to check certification and take samples of segregated ballast water for analysis, and the imposition of fines where it is considered that contaminated ballast water has been discharged.