The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a draft law that will kick off reforms in Ukraine’s shipping industry. The document, part of Ukraine’s commitments under the EU Association Agreement, aims to bring about a comprehensive reform of the state governance system for maritime and inland water transport.
This was reported by the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.
The draft law is comprehensive and includes a range of systemic changes:
- It proposes updating Ukraine’s Merchant Shipping Code and regulating areas not yet covered by legislation—such as vessel traffic management in high-traffic zones, emergency preparedness, and coordination of search and rescue operations at sea.
- Ukrainian legislation will be aligned with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, over 20 International Maritime Organization and International Labour Organization conventions, as well as relevant EU directives and regulations.
- The law foresees the implementation of provisions from 23 EU legislative acts, marking an important step toward European integration. The document is included in the Ukraine Facility Plan.
- Powers of the Ministry for Development, the Maritime Administration, the head of a seaport, and the port captain will be clearly delineated, eliminating conflicts of competence and establishing personal responsibility for maritime safety.
- The draft law introduces a national single maritime window—a digital platform for data exchange.
- It will remove a number of redundant procedures and documents not required by international conventions or EU law.
The government noted that once approved, the draft law will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for consideration.
