Cyprus-Russia Agreement on Commercial Shipping

On 24/10/2017 an Agreement was signed between the Cyprus Republic and the Russian Federation on Commercial Shipping, the provisions of which were transposed to Law 19 (VII)/2017, which was published in the Government Gazette of the Republic on 15/12/17.

The purpose of this Agreement is the setting up and development of relations between the two State-Parties in the maritime transport sector, ensuring effective cooperation in the shipping sector, and its contribution to the overall development of trade and economic relations between the two State-Parties through the further strengthening of their cooperation in the maritime transport sector.

Pursuant to Law 19(VII)/2017, each Party will provide the other Party’s ships with the same treatment afforded to their own ships, which are engaged in international voyages, particularly regarding free access to ports, the use of ports for loading, the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers, the payment of related fees and taxes and the use of navigational services.

Furthermore, the Law 19(VII)/2017, among other things, provides for the following:

• the Parties shall adopt appropriate measures for reducing unnecessary delays of their vessels in their ports and to simplify the handling of administrative, customs and legal health formalities.
• the documents proving the nationality of ships, tonnage certificates and other documents of the vessel issued or recognized by either of the Parties, will be recognized by the other Party.
• qualified seafarers who are Nationals of one of the Parties, may be employed in vessels of the other Party and the employment will be handled in accordance with the legislation of the other Party, and subject to national restrictions.