Lukashenko ratifies Belarusian-Russian agreement on inland navigation

MINSK. June 27 (Interfax) - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has ratified an agreement between Belarus and Russia on navigation along inland waterways.

A corresponding decree, which was published on the national database of legal information on Tuesday, orders "ratifying the agreement between the government of the Republic of Belarus and the government of the Russian Federation on navigation along inland waterways, which was signed in Moscow on December 28, 2022."

The decree was earlier adopted by both houses of the Belarusian parliament.

The agreement allows its signatories to carry out transportation between ports using inland waterways of Belarus and Russia, coastal shipping and to transport transit shipments from Belarusian and Russian ports to ports of third countries.

The document also regulates the terms for vessels' access to national inland waterways. It paves the way for mutual recognition of ships' documents and crewmembers' papers and allows the sides' authorized agencies to exchange information on credentials of crewmembers from vessels that navigate inland waterways. The agreement also bans fishing, hydrographic, research and other activities unrelated to navigation in inland waterways.

In order to ensure the efficient implementation of the agreement and to hold consultations on key issues of bilateral relations with regard to inland water transport, the parties will form a combined commission, which will convene at the request of any signatory to the agreement. The composition of the commission will be made up of representatives of relevant and authorized agencies and water transport companies depending on the issues that need to be discussed.

The Belarusian parliament said earlier "the ratification of the agreement will help promote the integration of the economies of both countries and create new logistic routes for delivering Belarusian cargoes."