Home > Country
 

Russia Flag of Russia

Pre Arrival:  ISPS
Arrival:  Pilotage | DS Pilots
Communications:  Pre-Arrival
Pollution:  Pollution
Facilities:  Surveyors
Security:  Emergency
Local Info:  Holidays
Crew:  Leave | Repatriation
Misc:  Authority
General Information for Russia
Geo-political:
Capital City: Moscow.
Nationality: (noun) Russian, (adjective) Russian.
Population: 140,041,247.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 7.
Number of Internal Airports: 595.
Major Languages Spoken: Russian, many minority languages.
Economy:
Currency: 1 Russian Ruble (RUB) of 100 Kopeks.
Main Industries: Complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal, oil, gas, chemicals, metals, all forms of machine building from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles, defense industries including radar, missile production, advanced electronic components, shipbuilding, road and rail transportation equipment, communications equipment, agricultural machinery, tractors, construction equipment, electric power generating and transmitting equipment, medical and scientific instruments, consumer durables, textiles, foodstuffs and handicrafts.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Continental Shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation. Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 37,653 km.
Climate: Ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast.
Natural Resources: Wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, many strategic minerals and timber.
Natural Hazards: Permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European Russia.
Terrain: Broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions.
Average Temperatures: 
Month High Low
January -1° C -29° C
June 26° C 4° C
September 25° C -2° C
ISPS COMPLIANCE:  The Russian Federal Transport Ministry has a website on maritime security at www.msecurity.ru/ that includes details of ISPS Code implementation in Russian ports. The Sea Safety Service of the Ministry has been designated lead agency for ISPS.
PILOTAGE:  Compulsory for entry to, and departure from, all Russian ports for mooring and casting off. Pilot ordering should be via the Russian single window system www.portcall.marinet.ru , through vessel's agent, at least 12 hours in advance, and confirmed 4 hours in advance of required time, unless stated in the information for the individual port.
DEEP SEA PILOTAGE:  See Baltic Deep Sea Pilotage.
PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION:  Vessels shall provide ETA and pre-arrival notifications via the Russian single window system portcall.marinet.ru/index.php 72 hours before ETA, with confirmation 24 hours before arrival.
Port State Notifications: 
  1. New Inspection Regime (NIR) of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (PMoU) has introduced a reporting system to be complied with for all vessels arriving or leaving a port or anchorage within the Paris MoU region, in force as of 1 January 2011. For Russian ports, requirement in force from November 2009.
  2. Operator, Agent or Master shall notify, 72 hours before arrival, off the port.
  3. NIR foresees the obligation to notify, 24 hours before arrival, for vessels bound for a PMoU member port (24-hour pre-arrival notifications) or at the latest at the time the vessel leaves the previous port, if passage is less than 24 hours, or if the port of call not known, or is changed during the voyage, as soon as this information is available.
  4. Reports shall be sent electronically through portcall.marinet.ru/index.php
  5. Failure to report requested information may cause a vessel to be targeted for inspection.
Northern Sea Route:  Over recent years there has been an increase in traffic between northern Asia and northern Europe through the Northeast passage/Northern Sea Route (NSR).
Tonnage is moderate as the governing draft is 12.5 m. This is not an area for operations with the bare minimum crew. Sailing through the Northern Sea Route is only possible from June to November. The NSR has been surveyed but the Arctic basin is poorly surveyed.
The water area of the Northern Sea Route shall be considered as the water area adjacent to the northern coast of the Russian Federation, comprising the internal sea waters, the territorial sea, the adjacent zone and the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation and confined in the east with the line of Maritime Demarcation with the United States of America and Cape Dezhnev parallel in Bering Strait, with the meridian of Cape Mys Zhelania to the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago in the west, with the eastern coastline of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago and the western borders of Matochkin Strait, Kara Strait and Yugorski Shar.
Marine transportation on the Northern Sea Route is regulated by the legislation based on the principles of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, in particular article 234 Ice-covered Areas. This article authorises the coastal states within the exclusive economic zone to adopt and enforce the non-discriminatory laws and regulations for prevention and monitoring of marine pollution from vessels in the areas covered with ice for most of the year.
To sail through the Northern Sea Route, the shipowner has to apply for a permit to the Russian authorities. The arrangement is handled by the Northern Sea Route Information Office. Icebreaker support includes navigation in the ice channel and the vessel is either towed or follows an icebreaker. This is done in an ice convoy or as a single vessel.
An ice pilot is required to be on the vessel when transiting though the NSR. Full details are available on the Northern Sea Route Information Office website W: www.arctic-lio.com and The Northern Sea Route Administration website www.nsra.ru/
Reference to advice for trading in the polar regions can be found at the following: www.imo.org/MediaCentre/HotTopics/polar/Pages/default.aspx/ swedishclub.com/ (and selecting the publications tab).
Contact:  Northern Sea Route Information Office. www.arctic-lio.com/
Sergey Balmasov, Head of the NSR Information Office. M: +7 911 310 9069. [email protected]
Bjorn Gunnarsson, Managing Director. M: +47 9546 7093. [email protected]
Irina Nazarova, Consultant. M: +7 9116636331. [email protected]
The Northern Sea Route Administration. F: +8 (495) 626 1069. www.nsra.ru/ [email protected] (general enquiries). [email protected] (transit applications).
POLLUTION:  The Federal Agency of Maritime and River Transport, part of the Ministry of Transport, is the federal executive body with responsibility for preparedness and response for oil spill incidents in Russia. Oil pollution combat is assigned to the State Marine Pollution Control, Salvage and Rescue Administration (MPCSA). The MPCSA is responsible for the Marine Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCC) which serve as the focal point for communication during marine spill incidents at regional level.
Any oil spill which enters the marine environment should be reported immediately to the nearest MRCC. If the oil spill is beyond the capability of the local or regional resources to deal with, it is the responsibility of the MPCSA and EMERCOM to mobilise the Russian Federation’s Tier 2 and Tier 3 capabilities.
EMERCOM is responsible for coordinating the different organisations (emergency and salvage services) involved in oil spill (Tier 3) combating operations (e.g. the navy, frontier guard, air forces, local authorities) and in particular to take charge of land-based clean-up.
Contacts:  National Emergency Management Center of the EMERCOM of Russia. T: +7 (499) 449 9443. F: +7 (499) 449 9443. [email protected]
State Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (SMRCC) of the State Marine Pollution Control, Salvage & Rescue Administration of the Russian Federation (MPCSA). T: +7 (495) 626 1052. F: +7 (495) 623 7476. [email protected] @ (Duty Officer)
Novorossiysk Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre. T: +7 (861) 767 6419. F: +7 (861) 723 9600. [email protected]
Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre, St Petersburg. T: +7 (812) 327 4145. F: +7 (812) 327 4146. [email protected]
Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre, Murmansk. T: +7 (815) 248 0220. F: +7 (815) 242 8307. [email protected]
Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre, Arkangelsk. T: +7 (818) 263 7100. F: +7 (818) 263 7460. [email protected]
Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre, Vladivostok. T: +7 (4232) 497401. F: +7 (4232) 227782. [email protected]
Maritime Rescue and Coordination Subcentre, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy. T: +7 (4152) 412880. F: +7 (4152) 412397.
Maritime Rescue and Coordination Subcentre, Uzhno-Sakhalinsk. T: + 7 (4242) 785724. F: +7 (4242) 722341. [email protected]
Maritime Rescue and Coordination Subcenter, Kaliningrad. T: +7 (4112) 538470. F: +7 (4112) 471199.
SURVEYORS:  Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. 8, Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya, St Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation. T: +7 (812) 380 2072. F: +7 (812) 314 1087. [email protected] www.rs-class.org/
EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTRE:  See Pollution.
HOLIDAYS:  General holidays: All Sundays and Saturdays: 1-5 January (New Year's Holidays); 7 January (Orthodox Christmas); 23 February (Motherland Defenders' Day); 8 March (International Women's Day); 1 May (World Labour Day); 9 May (Victory Day); 12 June (Russian Federation's Day); 4 November (People's Unity Day).
SHORE LEAVE:  Most visits to Russia are trouble-free, but petty crime does happen in cities. Be alert to the possibility of mugging, pick-pocketing and theft from vehicles or hotel rooms. Be wary of groups of women and children who beg.
Drink-spiking leading to robbery, violence and/or abuse does happen. Unconscious victims are often left outside, which can be life threatening in the winter months. Buy your own drinks and keep sight of them at all times.
In St Petersburg there have been reports of street crime where tourists have been specifically targeted. These crimes are carried out by well-organised gangs. Be aware of pickpockets in the main tourist areas and around the main railway concourses. Bogus police officers have harassed and robbed tourists. If you are stopped always insist on seeing identification. Avoid openly carrying expensive items, or anything that might easily identify you as a foreign visitor.
Avoid walking about late at night alone. Incidents of violence in major cities are usually linked to criminal/business activities and are not usually directed against foreign visitors.
The North Caucasus remains an unstable and potentially dangerous region. The Russian authorities take a particularly strict attitude towards security and compliance with visa and registration rules. Short-term travel restrictions are sometimes applied in relation to ongoing security operations. These are publicised at very short notice, if at all. Cross-border traffic with Georgia and Azerbaijan is also subject to restrictions.
Racially Motivated Attacks:  Although most visitors experience no difficulties, racially motivated attacks do occur in Russia. If you are of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent you should take extra care. Attacks tend to increase around 20 April, the anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s birthday.
REPATRIATION:  There has been an increase in the number of foreign passports reported stolen or lost from foreign nationals when in the airports in Moscow. Be particularly vigilant when passing through the airports, particularly in the baggage collection area and outside the arrivals hall.
Migration Cards:  All foreign nationals entering Russia must sign a migration card, which is produced electronically at passport control in the major airports. Provincial airports may still require you to complete the migration card manually. The card is in two identical parts. One part will be retained by the Immigration Officer on arrival. You should keep the other part with your passport; you will need it when you leave Russia and if you are stopped by the police for an ID check during your stay. There are many hotels and hostels that will not check in guests if they don’t have the stamped white immigration card with them. You must complete a new migration card each time you enter Russia, even if you have a multiple entry visa. If you lose the second part of the card you will be fined, and your departure from the country could be delayed.
Rail Travel:  If you are travelling by overnight train in a sleeping compartment, store valuables in the container under the bed or seat. Don’t leave your sleeping compartment unoccupied as some compartments only have a simple lock on the sliding door. On some trains there may be an additional security device, which can be attached to the fitted handle/lock unit. There may also be a steel switch at head-height on the door panel which, when pulled down, prevents the closed door from being slid open.
Don’t agree to look after the luggage of a fellow traveller or allow it to be stored in your compartment.
AUTHORITY:  FSUE Rosmorport, Suschevskaya Street 19 b 7, Moscow 127055, Russia. T: +7 (495) 626 1425, 411 7759. F: +7 (495) 626 1239. [email protected] www.rosmorport.ru