Foreign vessels will now require approval from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to access the country’s ports, under a new decree signed by President Vladimir Putin.
As reported by Reuters, the measure, which took effect immediately upon publication on 21 July, mandates that port authorities must coordinate with the Russia’s Federal Security Service before granting entry to foreign ships. Previously, entry regulations were overseen by the Ministry of Transport, with special procedures applied only at ports near naval bases.
However, the new decree explicitly extends the requirement to all Russian ports, though it does not specify a reason for the policy shift, Reuters explains.
Meanwhile, western nations continue to monitor both Russian-flagged vessels and the so-called “shadow fleet” used by Moscow to circumvent sanctions. Just last week, the European Union (EU) tightened its oil price cap aimed at restricting Russian revenues, while former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further sanctions on Russia.
