IACS revokes membership of Russian ship register

The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) Council has agreed to exclude the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS) from the IACS membership.

“Following the recent … developments in Ukraine and resulting actions taken by governments and other entities worldwide including, in particular, sanctions in the UK where IACS is domiciled, IACS Council has been continuously reviewing the developing sanctions landscape to ensure it complies fully with all legal requirements,” the association said.

“As part of that ongoing evaluation, and following the receipt of external legal advice, IACS Council … agreed that the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping’s (RMRS) ongoing membership of IACS is no longer tenable.”

“As such, and under the terms of its charter which requires agreement from 75% or more of its members, IACS Council has therefore adopted a Resolution that the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping’s membership of IACS is withdrawn with immediate effect.”

The International Association of Classification Societies is a not-for-profit membership organisation of classification societies that establishes minimum technical standards and requirements that address maritime safety and environmental protection and ensures their consistent application. More than 90% of the world’s cargo carrying tonnage is covered by the classification design, construction and through-life compliance rules and standards set by the eleven member societies of IACS.

The UK — the country in which the aforementioned association is located — has imposed numerous economic, energy and transport sanctions against Putin’s regime due to the ongoing Ukrainian crisis.

On 1 March, Russian ships were banned from UK ports and authorities were granted new powers to detain Russian vessels.

What is more, the UK government and its Business Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, revealed last week that  the UK would “phase out imports of Russian oil in response to Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine by the end of the year.”

However, the phasing out of imports will not be immediate, but instead allows the UK more than enough time to adjust supply chains, supporting industry and consumers. 

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