In a significant move to enhance navigation safety and streamline the legal framework for merchant shipping, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has registered a new draft law in the Verkhovna Rada. The draft law, titled "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Concerning Merchant Shipping and Shipping on Inland Waterways," was announced by Taras Melnychuk, the deputy representative of the government in the Verkhovna Rada.
The proposed legislation seeks to address a wide range of issues related to merchant shipping and inland waterways navigation. One of the key objectives is to determine and standardize the principles of navigation safety in the territorial sea, inland sea waters, and seaports, aligning them with international conventions such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982.
The draft law also aims to clarify the competence of authorities in the formation and implementation of state policy and the regulation of merchant shipping. It proposes restoring and clarifying the status of the seaport captain, granting them powers that correspond to modern approaches to maritime safety. Additionally, the law seeks to review and distribute the powers and functions of the head of the seaport and the captain of the seaport, with corresponding clarifications to the functions of the SE "Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority."
Another significant aspect of the proposed legislation is the implementation of the international regime for the protection of ships and seaports, as well as a detailed vessel control mechanism in seaports. The law also aims to clarify the obligations of shipowners and captains arising from international treaties, particularly regarding equipment, qualification, service, and safety of the crew.
The draft law addresses the certification of seafarers, providing an exhaustive list of crew members whose positions are considered regulated professions according to international treaties or EU legislation and require certification. It also seeks to improve the regulation of marine pilotage and vessel movement, as well as the legal structure of requirements related to the qualification of the deck crew of inland navigation vessels.
Furthermore, the proposed legislation aims to implement modern requirements for handling ship waste in seaports and eliminate terminological, competence, and substantive conflicts in various existing laws and codes related to merchant shipping and inland waterways.
The Cabinet of Ministers also seeks to simplify administrative procedures, establish a clearer list of powers for state bodies, exclude unnecessary administrative barriers and documents, and remove the licensing of business activities on sea and inland water transport. The draft law also proposes returning the requirements for navigation in the territorial sea and internal sea waters, which were previously excluded from the Merchant Shipping Code of Ukraine.
