Image by Danish Maritime Authority

Cruise ships prohibited from calling at the Crimea peninsula

A minor part of the EU sanctions concerns shipping where cruise ships are prohibited from calling at the Crimea peninsula.

18 June 2015

A general prohibition has been introduced against services related to tourism activities in Crimea and Sevastopol. This means that cruise ships must not call at or enter into Sevastopol, Kerch, Yalta, Theodosia, Evpatoria, Chernomorsk and Kamysh-Burun.

The prohibition applies only to cruise ships associated with an EU Member State. This means:

• Ships flying the flag of an EU Member State.
• Ships owned and operated by an EU shipowner.
• Ships under the overall responsibility of an EU operator.

Exception for calls at the Crimea peninsula
in emergencies
However, in case of emergencies cruise ships are permitted to call at or enter into ports on the Crimea peninsula. It must be possible to justify this as being for reasons of navigational safety. As something new, an obligation is introduced to inform the Danish Maritime Authority or a similar authority in another EU Member State if this exception is used. The report must be made within five working days after the call.

EU regulations on restrictive measures
The prohibition against port calls became effective in December 2014. You can find the provisions in Council Regulation no. 1351/2014 of 18 December 2014 amending regulation no. 692/2014 concerning restrictive measures in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.

Danish Maritime Authority press release