Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: KMZ Cargo – KMZ CARGO –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The draft presidential decree allows only carriers with a Russian stake of over 50%, their own fleet, and consent to Russian jurisdiction to operate on routes to Russian ports. Of the ten largest global operators, only MSC is exempt.
The draft presidential decree introduces a set of restrictions on the operation of container shipping lines calling at Russian ports. The document allows only Russian-controlled companies operating their own fleet and agreeing to Russian jurisdiction over disputes to engage in such shipping. Of the ten largest global container operators, only the Swiss Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is not included in the exemption list, Kommersant reports.
According to the draft decree, which the publication's sources have reviewed, a company associated with an unfriendly country will be required to comply with a set of six conditions in order to conduct regular foreign trade sea container shipping calling at least at one Russian port.
According to the document, the ship owner, carrier, and line operator must be registered under Russian law. The ultimate Russian beneficiary's share in the company structure must exceed 50%. The Ministry of Transport's proposed position, incorporated into the draft, stipulates a requirement for vessel and ship owner liability insurance with Russian companies or reinsurance in Russia.
The draft decree also includes a provision on consent to the arbitration of disputes in Russian courts if the plaintiff chooses such jurisdiction. Furthermore, carriers are required to prioritize the acceptance and transportation of sanctioned cargo, as well as cargo from sanctioned senders or recipients.
As follows from the draft's appendix, a separate condition is the requirement that vessels operating on the line be owned by the operator. Transportation along the entire route from the country of origin of the goods to the Russian Federation and back must be carried out exclusively by the operator's own vessels.
Ten companies are included in the list of entities with which ship owners, carriers, or operators are prohibited from contacting. According to the document, the list includes Danish Maersk, French CMA CGM, German Hapag-Lloyd and BREB, Dutch Samskip, Hong Kong OOCL, British X-Press Container Line (UK) Limited, Korean KMTC and HMM, and Japanese ONE. MSC, the world's largest container carrier, is not included.
Lawyers interviewed by the publication noted the ambiguity in the document's wording regarding the specific restrictions that apply to companies on the list. A corporate lawyer, who wished to remain anonymous, points out that the literal wording—"is not a person directly or indirectly owned, managed, used, or otherwise controlled"—implies an outright ban. He believes that a literal interpretation would prohibit any participation, even minority stakes, in listed entities. At the same time, as follows from the draft text, the Ministry of Transport is granted the authority to issue temporary permits for transactions with such entities.
A Kommersant source in the industry, familiar with the logic behind the document's preparation, explains that the initiative's goal is to restrict access to "unfriendly" linear services and replace them with lines under Russian corporate, property, insurance, and procedural control.
Another industry source told the publication that the draft's provisions could create obstacles to the development of container shipping. He believes that, given the current level of development of national shipping companies and their limited geographic reach, replacing the capacity of global operators is virtually impossible. He added that this threatens to reduce vessel calls at domestic ports and redistribute cargo flows in favor of international hubs. A Kommersant source in the port industry estimates a potential decline in container terminal utilisation at 40-60%.
A Kommersant source among shippers notes that if the initiative is implemented, the main victims will be Russian exporters and importers, who will lose the ability to attract partners even from friendly countries.
A Kommersant source points out that strict requirements for Russian registration, ultimate beneficial owner control, and vessel ownership limit market access for a wide range of foreign operators. They explain that to ensure Russia's cargo turnover, a large-capacity container fleet is necessary, which is often the subject of investment agreements between carriers and banks that prohibit changes in ownership.
Another Kommersant source calls the ownership clause a radical tightening of the current legal framework. He believes this formula should be expanded to include legal ownership, allowing for the use of vessels through leasing or charter.
Furthermore, as the publication's source notes, the requirement for transportation exclusively by own vessels limits the use of multimodal schemes involving partner lines and feeder operators. In some ports, according to the source, this makes transshipment impossible due to technical constraints.
A Kommersant source in the industry draws attention to the provision requiring the mandatory transportation of sanctioned cargo. He warns that, given the extraterritorial nature of the sanctions, this requirement could lead to the blocking of such cargo at foreign ports and, consequently, the complete closure of carriers' operations.
Kommersant's sources propose relaxing a number of requirements. These include allowing the use of chartered vessels, which, according to their information, currently transports the majority of Russian container cargo. They also believe it would be appropriate to make the requirements regarding the Russian shareholding more flexible for operators willing to provide priority service to Russian cargo and subject it to the jurisdiction of Russian courts. Furthermore, the publication's sources propose expanding the Ministry of Transport's authority to issue temporary permits to operators that do not fully comply with the draft requirements.
As a reminder, Western companies control almost three-quarters of global container shipping. Just three operators—Danish Maersk, Swiss-Italian Mediterranean Shipping Company, and French CMA CGM—combined to account for over 45% of the container capacity market. Carriers from the world's major shipping countries, with the exception of China's COSCO, which is among the top five, significantly lag behind them in terms of global reach. LR
Publication date: 03/23/2026
Please note; this information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate account of what the source claims, and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.