Verkhovna Rada adopted in first reading the draft law “On the sea ports of Ukraine.” The new draft regulatory act has been prepared by experts Mininfrastruktury pursuant to instructions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
The bill aims at qualitatively new level to normalize relations in the field of port operations and ensure the effective functioning of the port industry of Ukraine in today’s market environment.
Thus, the legal act of considering a seaport as “some of the territory and waters, equipped to service the ships and passengers, carrying freight, transport and forwarding activities, as well as other related economic activities.”
To ensure the functioning of seaports, maintenance and use of state property, as well as navigation safety is proposed to create a single state-owned enterprise – the administration of the seaports of Ukraine to fulfill its mandate, both directly and through its own branches corresponding to the field.
It is also one of the important principles of organization and development of sea ports, embedded within the document, is the distinction features to ensure safety of navigation and surveillance (monitoring) for the safety of navigation. Thus, under the provisions of the bill the safety of navigation in the waters of the sea port has provided the administration of the seaports of Ukraine, the owners (users), marine terminals, ship owners and other business entities that operate in the port. Monitoring is carried out for the safety of the Harbour.
In addition, in the legal act is written clear mechanisms for attracting private investment in port infrastructure, and their compensation, as well as mechanisms to protect the rights of investors in ports.
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World Maritime News Staff, February 23, 2012; Image: Odessa Port