Russia launches inspections of hulls of ships entering its ports

Russia introduces an obligation to inspect the hulls of the vessels entering its ports. The decision was made after a series of unexplained incidents in the port of Ust-Luga which compromised the safety of transport of energy raw materials.

Change of procedures in the Russian port of Ust-Ługa

Port Ust-Ługa, located on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Finland, is one of the main Russian transhipment terminals – it supports exports of Urals, coal, ammonia and container cargo and dry bulk.It's right there., at the beginning of the year, was the first of a series of unexplained explosions involving commercial units.

In February, during a stop at the anchorage, a tankerKoalasuffered damage due to an incident which the local governor described as "a man-made incident". The explosion caused an oil spill. At the beginning of July, also in the port area of Ust-Ługa, tankerEco Wizardreported a leak in the ammonia system.

In response to these incidents, port authorities decided that each unit had to undergo an inspection of the underwater portion of the hull before entering the terminals.In addition, it is requiredhaving a Russian civil liability policy, including collisions and environmental threats.

FSB and new Putin Decree

Following the actions of the Ust-Lugi Administration, the President of the Russian Federation issued a decree ordering every unit heading to Russian ports to obtain the approval of the Federal Security Service (FSB) to enter the port. This regulation was announced several days after information on the suspension of part of the loadings in the Black Sea ports, including in Noworosyjsk and the CPC terminal.

Although the decision of the port of Ust-Ługa preceded the presidential decree, it can be read as part of a broader strategy to increase maritime traffic surveillance in Russian territorial waters. So far, no similar measures have been introduced in othersRussian Baltic ports, among others in Primorsk or Wysock. Nevertheless, the Russian port office has announced a tender for hull inspection in all Baltic terminals, with over 3 billion rubles allocated to this purpose.

New risk dimension for maritime critical infrastructure

In response to threats, some shipowners began their own hull inspections – using divers or unmanned submarines. While in room conditions such activities were considered standard for special purpose craft, today they become routine for tankers and gas tankers.

Increased threats to the seacritical infrastructure, including energy handling terminals, falls within the broader context of destabilising the situation in the Baltic region. This reminder that the protection of key logistics points cannot be limited to land-based security only – also underwater port space becomes an arena for potential incidents.

Written by Mariusz Dasiewicz