PRIORITIES OF LEGISLATIVE WORK IN THE SPHERE OF MARITIME AND INLAND WATERWAY TRANSPORT FOR 2026

The Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine has formed a list of priority legislative initiatives in the field of maritime and inland waterway transport for 2026.
They are aimed at implementing international conventions, updating industry legislation, improving shipping safety, protecting seafarers' rights, and harmonizing national norms with European and international standards.
“A special emphasis is placed on draft laws within the framework of the Ukraine Facility Plan. This is not just an obligation to partners, but a real opportunity to update the state shipping safety system, harmonize rules with European standards, and make the industry more competitive,” said Andriy Kashuba, Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine.
In 2026, the Ministry will focus on supporting and adopting a number of key draft laws, in particular:
On the ratification of the International Labor Organization Convention on Maritime Labor, 2006, and amendments to the legislative acts of Ukraine in connection with its ratification. These legislative initiatives implement uniform international labor standards for seafarers and concern decent working and living conditions on board ships, health protection and proper medical care.
On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine on merchant shipping and inland waterways navigation. The aim is to improve the legislative framework for the organization of shipping, in particular, the state system for ensuring the safety of shipping at sea and inland waterways in accordance with Ukraine's international obligations and taking into account EU legislation, eliminate gaps and conflicts, and simplify the conditions for conducting economic activities in the field of maritime and inland waterway transport.
On Ukraine's accession to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments of 2004 and on related amendments to the legislation of Ukraine. A set of legislative initiatives establishing requirements for ballast water management define the specifics of vessel inspection in seaports, provision of seaports with reception facilities for receiving ballast water and sediments.
The draft Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Regulation of Activities in the Sphere of Life Protection and Search and Rescue of People at Sea”. The aim is to consolidate at the legislative level provisions related to the creation, functioning and development of a national search and rescue system at sea, the effective functioning of the maritime search and rescue service, the coordination and conduct of search and rescue operations at sea, improving the regulation of the rights and obligations of captains and shipowners of sea vessels in the event of a disaster at sea, as well as consolidating relevant legislative acts in the field of transport.
On amendments to Article 284 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on the liability of ship captains for failure to provide assistance to people who are in or have been in distress. The document establishes criminal liability for failure by captains of Ukrainian ships to fulfill their obligations to provide assistance during a distress at sea.
The implementation of these legislative initiatives will allow:
• to implement international labor standards and social protection of seafarers;
• to increase the level of safety of navigation on sea and inland waterways;
• to ensure environmentally responsible management of ship ballast water;
• to eliminate legislative gaps and simplify the conditions for doing business in the industry;
• to strengthen liability for violations in the field of sea and inland waterway transport.
This will contribute to the further integration of Ukraine into the European and international transport space, increase the competitiveness of the Ukrainian fleet and strengthen Ukraine's position as a responsible maritime state.
Отправить отзыв