The Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (St. Petersburg, Russia) and Jūrų Laivybos Registras (Klaipėda, Lithuania) have filed a lawsuit with the Court of Justice of the European Union against the Council of the EU to lift sanctions restrictions.
The case was filed on October 16, 2024, and assigned case number T-535/24. The applicants asked the court to annul several articles of a decision by the Council on restrictive measures relating to restrictions on the Russian Maritime Registry.
On October 6, 2022, the European Union published new sanctions regarding the prohibition of ships with documents from the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping from entering ports and locks on the territory of the EU. These restrictive measures do not apply to ships in need of assistance, such as those seeking shelter from severe weather or emergency port access for reasons of maritime safety or saving lives at sea. Nor do they apply to vessels entering ports to depart from EU territory.
The Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, a classification society, traces its history back to 1913. It carries out reviews of design documentation and technical supervision over the construction and operation of ships, as well as offshore structures. It also inspects ships and companies to ensure compliance with international conventions, approves industrial products, and recognizes production facilities. In addition, it certifies management systems to ensure compliance with both international and national standards.
