Russian ships are under new attack/Getty Images port stopped cooperation with the aggressor.
Since the beginning of the large-scale Russian aggression, the Association, as well as the authorized authorities of Ukraine, have periodically informed international institutions about the gross violation by the aggressor of the norms of international maritime and humanitarian law, about Russia's encroachment on merchant shipping, both during the conduct of hostilities and in the occupied territories, in ports of the occupied Crimea, in Mariupol, Berdyansk and Kherson captured by the Russians.
The Paris Memorandum and Russia
In particular, the ARC periodically reported on the negative developments in the situation of the Paris Memorandum on mutual understanding of port state control of ships, presented European Regional Port State Control Authority – Paris Memorandum Committee.
On May 16-20, the annual session of the Paris Memorandum Committee was held in Constanta, Romania, at which it was decided to immediately suspend Russia's participation in the Paris Memorandum. This decision was approved by the Memorandum Committee, as stated in the May 30 communiqué, “in view of the international situation” and “until further notice”.
At the same time, the authoritative maritime publication TradeWinds bluntly states that “this step is part of a coordinated international action against Russian-backed bodies in response to the country's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”
Russian ships are waiting for change
Now, after the release of the Committee's communiqué, Russian propaganda has stated that stopping membership would only “affect reporting” and lead to “gaps in port control statistics”.
In fact, this is not at all the case, because stopping Russia's membership in the Paris Memorandum will gradually lead to a significant increase in control in third countries with compliance by Russian courts with international requirements, which they often do not meet.
Of course, for most European ports where European Union sanctions against Russian shipping are already in place, this will not be a fundamental change, but a similar approach to Russia in other regional maritime organizations.
Also, this step of the Committee of the Paris Memorandum is of great political importance for countering Russian manipulations to blockade the ports of Ukraine by the aggressor.
