RF Government has allowed foreign vessels to make multiple calls to inland sea waters and territorial waters of the Russian Federation till November 30, 2008 for operations on exploratory drilling of well No1 at Veninsky sector of the Sakhalin 3 project carried out by the Transocean Nordic maritime platform, flying the flag of Marshall Islands. The Decree was signed by the RF Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on June 25.
The same decree empowers FSB, Federal Customs Service, RosSelkhozNadzor (Federal Agency for Vetirinary and Pytosanitary Supervision and RosPotrebNadzor (Federal Agency for Health and Consumer Rights) to carry out supervision of foreign vessels as well as cargo and experts transported by them via the check points of the Russian Federation. The Ministry of Transport is to approve the list of vessels allowed to enter inland sea waters and territorial waters of the Russian Federation. RosTransNadzor (Federal Agency for Transport Supervision) is to control the compliance with the RF legislation and international agreements on commercial navigation. Rosmorrechflot (Russia’s Federal Agency of Marine and River Transport) is to arrange works on prevention and response to oil spills as well as protection of navigation against illegal acts.