Russia-Belarus agreement on internal waterways shipping goes into effect

MOSCOW. Aug 16 (Interfax) - An agreement between the governments of Russia and Belarus on shipping along internal waterways went into effect on August 14, the website for official publication of Russian legal acts reported.

The document, published on Tuesday, said the agreement goes into effect 30 days after the receipt of the last written notification about the fulfilment of internal government procedures necessary for it to take effect. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ratified the agreement at the end of June.

The agreement, signed in Moscow on December 28, 2022, gives vessels from both countries the right to sail between ports on the internal waterways of Belarus and Russia, and carry out cabotage shipments and transit shipments from Belarusian and Russian ports to ports in third countries.

The document sets out conditions for allowing vessels to sail along national internal waterways, and provides for mutual recognition of ship documents and the documents of ship crew members, as well as sharing of information between authorities about the qualification documents of crew members.

The agreement also bans fishing, hydrographic, research and other activities on internal waterways that are not related to shipping.