The Removal of RMRS from Transport Malta’s list of Authorised Classification Societies

By means of the 8^th package of sanctions against Russia issued on the 6^th October 2022, the Council of the European Union, amongst others, prohibited access to EU ports and extended the lock ban in the territory of the EU to any vessel certified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RMRS).

In accordance with Article 1ab of Decision 2014/512/CFSP (amended by Decision 2022/1909), EU Member States that have authorised the RMRS to undertake fully or in part inspections and surveys related to statutory certificates, and where appropriate, to issue or renew the related certificates, are obliged to withdraw those authorisations before 5^th January 2023. Furthermore, until the moment of withdrawal of those recognitions, EU Member States are not allowed to appoint RMRS to carry out any statutory survey and issuance, confirmation or extension of certificates.

Notwithstanding the inclusion of the RMRS as an authorised recognised organisation within the EU RO Framework Document for the Mutual Recognition of Type Approval issued on the 1^st July 2022, this package of sanctions ensures that the Council’s ferocity and position in this regard is ubiquitous.

Consequently, in light of the above, the Merchant Shipping Directorate within Transport Malta has since updated the list of authorised classification societies, which now brings the authorised Recognised Organisations (ROs) to 11. Therefore, with effect from such change, the latest list of accepted ROs is as follows:

1. American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
2. Bureau Veritas (BV)
3. China Classification Society (CCS)
4. Croatian Register of Shipping (CRS)
5. ClassNK (NK)
6. DNV
7. Indian Register of Shipping (IRS)
8. Korean Register of Shipping (KRS)
9. Lloyd’s Register (LR)
10. Polish Register of Shipping (PRS)
11. Registro Italiano Navale (RINA)