As of today, registration is open for merchant vessels and their owners who are willing to navigate temporary routes declared by Ukraine.
Dmytro Pletenchuk, the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, announced this during the “Unified News” telethon.
“A decision has been made to finally address this issue by opening these maritime communication routes. Accordingly, shipowners and vessel captains have been warned about the existing danger. Apart from the ongoing threat from the Russian fleet, the risk of mines remains quite high. Therefore, this will all be conducted under the supervision of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Everything possible for ensuring safety that depends on us, we are doing. And now, the registration is already open, the coordinator is already working,” Pletenchuk stated.
According to him, the decision has two objectives: overcoming the international humanitarian crisis and “providing an opportunity for shipowners and companies to finally retrieve their merchant vessels, which are essentially in a humanitarian captivity due to constant Russian threats at sea.”
“They don’t just say that these vessels will be considered arms carriers; during some of the maritime negotiations, it was heard that it will be recognized that this country is participating in the war on the side of Ukraine. So, as of now, this is a kind of terrorism on the radio waves, and accordingly, it’s a violation of international law, maritime law concerning freedom of navigation,” added the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy.
Regarding the number of vessels and their owners that have already registered, Pletenchuk noted, “Currently, we cannot disclose all the details about this event.”
He also mentioned that the terms for the announced temporary routes have not yet been defined.
“These terms are not yet determined. In fact, the state in which all this operates is unfortunately conditioned by the events happening in the Black Sea because in a normal situation, all this would take place on a much broader, simpler, and safer scale,” said the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy.
As reported, on August 10, 2023, Ukraine announced new temporary routes for merchant vessels traveling to/from Black Sea ports of Ukraine, but there is a continued military threat and mine danger from the Russian Federation along all routes.