Foreign yachts are given the green light to Russian waters
Russian rivers and lakes
are now availbale for undersized foreign pleasure yachts and sports vessels
unless they conduct business. The corresponding ordinance of the Russian
government #472 on Adoption of regulations of the inland navigation of
sport sailing ships and pleasure crafts in the name of foreign power in Russia “
is published in Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
It will be recalled that
a year ago same amendments were passed to the Inlan Water Transport Code of
Russia. Now vessels can pass through our water area in the central part of
Russia Siberia and the Far East – after vetting in seaport and if there’s a
Russian speaking member of the crew who can navigate a ship. Until recently,
private pleasure crafts were allowed to inland waterways of Russia only by
request of the government with the obligation of taking a Russian sailing
master on board. Now there’s no
such obligation.
Tour operators, who
called attention to the fact that such decision would give additional
opportunities to attracting tourists as Russia posesses a wide network of
rivers, greeted such changes in water legislation with fervour. However,
according to the experts, a chain of administrative encumbrances denies a
broad access of foreign yachts.
Earlier the North-West
department of the RUTI intorduced feasible addendas to the Rules of inland navigation
of foreing vessels with sports and leisure purposes, implementiation of which
would support the development of cruises on lakes and rivers of Russia. In
particular, market insiders would prefer foreignres not to come within the
jurisdiction of several different supervisory authorities, but rank the
priority of the „one window“ approach. It would not only facilitate their
lives, but simplify and fasten all control prodedures. At the same time it’s
required that after passign the border and customs processing, foreign
yachtsman were under same regulations as Russian vessels of the same type.
Taking in consideration
the importance of security matters, the department’s professionals suggest
writing in a requirement of an insurance policy for the foreign vessels,
similar to the motor transport’s Green Card which is issued when entering the
country.
One more question to be
answered concerns the infrastructure: well equipped convinient hithes, floating
petrol stations, new hotels on landing stages and riversides with moorages are
needed. For now, they almost don’t exist. At the same time as yachtsmen are
wellfixed and spend more at the place of stay than ordinary cruise tourists,
yachts cruises are considered to be more profitable.
In its turn, the Ministry
of Transportation believes that for now there will be no rush by reason of the
Russian inland waters opening. The Deputy Director of the Department of state
policy of marine and inland water transport of the Ministry of Transportation
Vitaly Kluev cites data on the amount of foreign undesized yachts – from 100 to