Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine has developed and promulgated for the public talks a draft act to exempt vessels of maximum draft within 4.5 m from the canal dues levying, and whilst performing cabotage voyages – from all the port dues whatsoever.
As it is pointed out in the explanatory note to the draft, it has been elaborated in order to harmonise by-laws with the Law of Ukraine on Inland Water Transport, which enters into force on 01 January 2022 except for a few clauses postponed.
The draft act envisages amendments to Procedures of collecting and calculating the rates of port dues, as well of Procedures of accounting and utilising the funds of port dues.
In particular, it is suggested to define clear and transparent conditions, as concerns:
- exemption from paying port dues for the vessels classed as IWT ships according to the class certificate (and in future, as per the Law on IWT, the IWT vessel certificate as well), which have the maximum draft within 4.5 m, as per the certificate, and perform a cabotage voyage where the loading or discharge place is a river port (terminal), or other loading/discharge place situated on the inland waterways (IWW) of Ukraine, or the seaports of Kherson, Olvia, and Mykolaiv;
- exemption from paying canal dues for the vessels of the same characteristics performing an international voyage.
Any remarks and suggestions are welcome till 17 December 2021 inclusively from natural or legal entities in writing or e-format.
The Law of Ukraine on Inland Water Transport was signed by President Zelensky in December 2020, and as per the then minister of infrastructure it is going to enable growing the cargo flows up to 30M t per annum with the economic effect for the state as much as 13-16Bn UAH yearly.
https:/ports.ua/miu-predlagaet-otmenit-portovye-sbory-dlya-sudov-s-osadkoj-do-45-metra-v-kabotazhe/