Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed legislation approving an intergovernmental accord with Russia that concerns navigation on inland waterways. The measure was published on the National Legal Internet Portal and reported by TASS, confirming the formal step taken to advance the agreement between the two countries.
The document, which received approval from both chambers of the Belarusian parliament, outlines that vessels bearing the flags of Belarus and Russia will be permitted to sail between their respective ports located along internal waterways, including routes to third-country ports. In practical terms, this means ships can move from one country’s inland water system to the other’s and vice versa, with access also extended to a framework that governs cross-border maritime movement along inland channels. This arrangement acknowledges the strategic value of inland water routes for bilateral trade and regional connectivity (citation: official sources such as the National Legal Internet Portal and reporting agencies like TASS).
Cabotage provisions are laid out to cover goods and passenger transport on ships registered in one country while operating on the inland waterways of the other. Such movements will require the explicit approval of the relevant intergovernmental commission tasked with overseeing the agreement. Authorities on both sides commit to expediting and simplifying border, customs, sanitary, and other formalities to ensure smoother passage for ships, crews, and cargo, thereby reducing delays that can affect timely deliveries and economic planning (citation: government announcements and parliamentary records).
The accord also stipulates that each party will extend to the other the same access and services that its own vessels receive when calling at ports, using anchorages, or accessing port facilities. Fees for navigation, port services, and related charges are to be determined by a comparable approach on both sides, aiming to create predictable, non-discriminatory pricing for operators and investors engaged in bilateral inland waterway traffic (citation: bilateral treaty text and official summaries).
An important operational provision notes that the treaty enters into force thirty days after the last required written notification confirming that the internal procedures necessary for its implementation have been fulfilled. This timing clause marks a clear trigger for the gradual rollout of the new regime, with readiness checks and administrative adjustments anticipated in the weeks following the formal completion of domestic procedures on both sides (citation: treaty text and governmental notifications). The agreement thus establishes a measured path to full implementation, aligned with practical considerations for port authorities, shipping lines, and customs authorities as they adapt to the enhanced framework for cooperation on inland waterways.