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Ukraine Flag of Ukraine

Pre Arrival:  Overview | Charts
Arrival:  Approaches | Pilotage
Communications:  VTS/Radar
Berthing Ops:  Tugs
Pollution:  Ballast
Facilities:  Medical
Security:  Police etc | Regs
Local Info:  Time | Holidays
Shore:  Connections | Banks
Crew:  Leave
Critical Information: Editor's Note: (March 2022) Due to conflict in the region, many ports are closed, embargoed or damaged. OneOcean will update as better information becomes available. See ``Approaches''.
General Information for Ukraine
Geo-political:
Capital City: Kyiv.
Nationality: (noun) Ukrainian, (adjective) Ukrainian.
Population: 45,700,395.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 380.
Number of Internal Airports: 189.
Major Languages Spoken: Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%, other 9% (includes small Romanian-, Polish-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities).
Economy:
Currency: 1 Hryvnia (UAH) of 100 Kopiykas.
Exchange Rates:  (as of August 2016)
USD 1.00 = UAH 25.72
UAH 1.00 = USD 0.04
Exchange rates under licence from XE.com
Main Industries: Coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals and food processing ().
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Continental Shelf: 200 m or to the depth of exploitation. Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 2,782 km.
Climate: Temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across the greater part of the country, hot in the south.
Natural Resources: Iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulphur, graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber and arable land.
Terrain: Most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south.
OVERVIEW:  March 2022:  Ukraine’s government and military have suspended commercial operations at all Ukrainian ports. All ports east of the Dnieper-Bug Canal are either under siege or occupied by Russian forces. Ports occupied include Berdyansk and Kherson. Ports under siege include Dneprobugsky, Mariupol, Nikolaev and Oktyabrsk.
Ports SW of Nikolaev and Dnieper–Bug Canal are currently closed but under Ukrainian control. These include Chornomorsk, Izmail, Kilia, Reni, Ust Dunaysk and Yuzhny.
Ports of the Crimea occupied since 2014 include Evpatoria, Kerch, Sevastopol, Theodosia and Yalta are currently embargoed.
Other Information:  Ports Open Post 2014 Occupation.
Belgorod-Dnestrovsky – SW of country SW of Odessa.
Berdyansk – Port in Russian hands.
Chornomorsk – All vessels moored alongside, no movement.
Dneprobugsky – Front line city.
Izmail – SW of country.
Kherson – Port in Russian hands.
Kilia – SW of country.
Mariupol – being besieged .
Nikolaev – Front line port.
Odessa – All vessels moored alongside, no movement.
Oktyabrsk – Front line port.
Reni – SW of country.
Ust Dunaysk – SW of country.
Yuzhny – East of Odessa. All vessels moored alongside, no movement.
Crimea – Occupied by Russia 2014:  Evpatoria, Kerch, Sevastopol, Theodosia, Yalta.
CHARTS:  Nautical charts, publications and Notice to Mariners available from the State Hydrographic Service of Ukraine (Ukrmorcartographia) at
APPROACHES:  Humanitarian Corridor:  The Russian Federation have claimed to have opened a humanitarian corridor in international waters length 80 n.m. and width 3.0 n.m. to allow vessels trapped within Ukrainian ports the opportunity to exit the conflict zone to safer waters in the southern Black Sea. Ports covered include Chernomorsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Ochakov, Odessa and Yuzhne.
There is an assembly area at the northern end and exit area at the southern end of the corridor.
    Assembly area (RC-1) is contained within the following co-ordinates: 
  • 46° 10.00′ N, 031° 00.00′ E
  • 46° 10.00′ N, 031° 00.08′ E
  • 46° 04.00′ N, 031° 00.00′ E
  • 46° 04.00′ N, 031° 00.08′ E.
    Exit area (RR-2) is contained within the following co-ordinates: 
  • 44° 56.00′ N, 030° 25.00′ E
  • 44° 56.00′ N, 030° 35.00′ E
  • 44° 50.00′ N, 030° 35.00′ E
  • 44° 50.00′ N, 030° 35.00′ E.
The course through the corridor is approx. 200°(T).
The corridor will operate between 0800–1900 hrs. local time (GMT +3 hours) daily.
PILOTAGE:  Kerch is the base station for the Eastern Black Sea Pilotage District, providing compulsory pilotage for:
  1. Kerch Strait
  2. Kerch-Yenikal Channel
  3. Sea of Azov
  4. Berdyans'k Channel (Podkhodnyy Kanal)
  5. Mariupol (Zhdanov) Channel.
Available throughout 24 hours.
Compulsory for:
a) Kerch-Yenikal Channel (Kerch Strait):
i. all foreign vessels
ii. LPG carriers draft more than 4.5 m., LOA 120 m. and over
iii. all vessels in an emergency condition
iv. oil tankers and vessels carrying dangerous cargo
v. nuclear powered vessels.
b) Sea of Azov:
i. all foreign vessels
ii. all vessels in an emergency condition
iii. oil tankers and vessels carrying dangerous cargo
iv. nuclear powered vessels
v. all vessels irrespective of LOA & draft during the ice navigation period.
Vessels heading for Mariupol or Berdyansk shall request a pilot from Kerch VTS when submitting initial report.
Pilot boards:
  1. northbound vessels in position 45° 01′ 59″ N, 036° 28′ 22″ E, near Lt. buoys No. 1 and 2
  2. southbound vessels in position 45° 27′ 31″ N, 036° 41′ 30″ E, near Varzovskiy Lt.0 buoy.
VTS/RADAR:  Kerch VTS covers the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov, approaches to port of Kerch, and the pilot boarding positions for Kerch, Mariupol and Berdyansk. Operational throughout 24 hours.
Kerch VTS call sign ``Kerch Traffic Control'' listens on VHF Channel 16 and works on VHF Channels 3, 14 and 67.
T: +380 (8) 6561 66253. Fax: +380 (8) 6561 66252. [email protected] MMS I: 002723660.
Operational Areas:  Kerch Traffic Control is divided into three sectors:
  • Southern approach, 16. n.m. from Mys Takyl, 45° 06′ 00″ N, 036° 27′ 12″ E VHF Channels 03, 67
  • Northern approach, 16.0 n.m. from Mys Khrony, 45° 26′ 26″ N, 036° 34′ 40″ E VHF Channels 03, 67
  • Kerch Strait, between Mys Takyl and Varzovskly Lightbuoy, 45° 27′ 26″ N, 036° 41′ 37″ E VHF Channels 14, 67
Procedure:  Mandatory for all vessels. ETA to be forwarded via the Agent 48, 24 and confirming 4 hours before arrival at the outer VTS limits. Vessel sailing less than 48 hours to controlled zone, shall send their initial report 2 hours after departure. Change in ETA shall be advised no later than 2 hours before arriving at the outer limits.
Vessels should contact Kerch Traffic Control on VHF Channel 3 when within range, stating:
  1. vessel's name (including any previous names)
  2. vessel type and condition (loaded or otherwise)
  3. name of agent and owner
  4. IMO no. and MMSI
  5. flag and port of registry
  6. d.w.t., g.t. and n.t.
  7. LOA, BOA and moulded depth
  8. draft (fore and aft)
  9. last port, destination, and ETA at destination port
  10. number of passengers (ferries and passenger vessels)
  11. dangerous cargo on board
  12. state of radar and any defects affecting the safety of navigation
  13. other information as requested by the VTS
Permission to enter the VTS controlled area should be obtained 30 minutes before entry. No vessel may enter the VTS area without permission.
Permission to navigate within the area shall be obtained from Kerch Traffic Control before entering the Kerch-Yenikal Channel; during transit, permission to continue should be requested every 30 minutes.
When within the VTS area, a continuous listening watch should be maintained on VHF Channels 14 and 16. Vessels should monitor the VTS broadcasts and follow the instructions, recommendations and warnings concerning the safety of navigation, life, property and the environment.
TUGS:  Kerch Strait Escort Requirement:
  1. vessel LOA 100–130 m. and draft greater than 6.5 m., shall have 1×1,200 h.p. tug escorting
  2. LOA 130–160 m., shall have two tugs escorting 1×1,200 hp and 1×600 h.p.
  3. LOA 160 m. and over, 3×1,200 hp tugs.
Vessels LOA 160 m. and over shall conduct their passage during daylight hours, under favourable meteorological conditions.
BALLAST:  SIPBS Requirements:  When entering the Black Sea vessels with segregated ballast tanks carrying ballast water from other seas must carry out ballast water exchange and this must be recorded in the Log Book (and in the ballast water management record, if the vessel has one). Deballasting for vessels without segregated ballast tanks is strictly prohibited in Ukrainian waters. Such vessels may only pump out ballast into designated shore or barge facilities.
The Master must declare to Agent the quantity of the ballast water which the vessel intends to discharge in port.
Upon berthing, a representative of State Inspection for Protection of Black Sea (SIPBS) will visit the vessel and take samples of the ballast water. These samples will be examined in the SIPBS laboratory (or in one of the laboratories approved by SIPBS) for the presence of the following admixtures: oil products, metals, suspended substances.
    Deballasting will only be permitted where admixtures do not exceed the following levels: 
  • oil products at a concentration of 0.05 mg./l.
  • metals at a concentration of 0.05 mg./l.
  • suspended substances at a concentration of 0.75 mg./l.
While this level of suspended substances has been accepted as permissible by the authorities on certain occasions, on other occasions the permissible level has been set at a lower level. Unfortunately, therefore, it is not possible to predict with any certainty what the acceptable level might be on any given occasion in any given port.
If any of these levels are exceeded, deballasting will be prohibited. In such circumstances there are two possible solutions:
  1. Deballasting on payment of a fine
  2. Deballasting outside 12 mile zone
Deballasting on Payment of a Fine:  The Master will be permitted to deballast on payment of a fine for damage to the environment. The amount of this fine is calculated as follows: the SIPBS laboratory determines the concentration of admixtures in the ballast water. This figure is multiplied by total quantity of the ballast to be discharged. The result shows the total amount of polluting substance which would be discharged at sea and the relevant fine rate is applied to this figure. SIPBS has a right (and use this right in all cases) to charge the Master with a penalty for damage to the environment. According to local regulations this penalty is subject to a maximum of USD 5,000.
These rates are set by the Decision of the Odessa Regional Soviet of People's Deputies No. 23--XXII dd. 13.09.94: Measures on Reinforcement of Responsibility of Vessels in Cases of Pollution at Odessa Region. Similar requirements are in force in other Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
  • organic substances USD270 per kg.
  • suspended substances USD132 per kg.
  • crude oil, fuel oil, oil fats USD329 per kg.
  • salts of heavy metals USD12,936 per kg.
  • detergents USD381 per kg.
  • faecal waters USD140 per kg.
Deballasting Outside 12 mile Zone:  If owners are not prepared to pay a fine the vessel can load sufficient cargo to ensure stability and then leave the port in order to deballast outside the 12-mile zone. This operation will incur further costs on the ship owner as it will involve tug assistance, pilotage and mooring operations etc., and may also result in vessel being off-hire, vessel losing berth to another vessel etc.
MEDICAL:  State medical facilities in Ukraine are generally poor. Private clinics and hospitals offer a better standard of care, though these do not always meet western standards and practices. If you are involved in an accident or taken ill, it is likely that you will be taken to a state hospital unless you can show that you have comprehensive medical insurance cover.
English is not always widely spoken.
POLICE/AMBULANCE/FIRE:  Emergency Tel: 112. Fire Tel: 101. Police Tel: 102. Ambulance Tel: 103.
REGULATIONS:  Ukraine laws available for viewing online (in Ukrainian language only) at government website zakon1.rada.gov.ua/laws/show-z1230-13
European Union Sanctions in Respect of Crimea and Sevastopol:  Council (EU) Regulation No. 825/2014 of 30th July 2014 concerning restrictions on the import into the Union of goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol, in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol.
In response to the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia, the EU issued Regulation 692/2014 23rd June 2014, introducing trade sanctions in respect of goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol and on the provision, directly or indirectly, of financing or financial assistance, as well as insurance and reinsurance, related to the import of such goods.
On 30th July 2014 the EU published Regulation 825/2014 amending Regulation 692/2014. The most notable amendments add further to the prohibitions in Article 2 below.
Prohibitions: 
1. Article 2 of the Regulation provides that it is prohibited:
a) to import into the EU goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol
b) to provide, directly/indirectly, financing/financial assistance as well as insurance/reinsurance related to import of goods originating in Crimea or Sevastopol
c) to sell, supply or transfer designated key equipment and technology 1 for infrastructure projects in the transport, telecommunications and energy sectors
d) to sell, supply or transfer key equipment and technology for the exploitation 2 of oil, gas and mineral resources 3
e) to provide technical and/or financial assistance related to the above activities
f) to sell, supply, transfer, export, directly or indirectly, key equipment and technology listed in Annex III of the Regulation (not reproduced) to any natural or legal person, entity or body in Crimea or Sevastopol or for use in Crimea or Sevastopol.
2. Contracts entered into before 30 July 2014 (including ancillary contracts) must be executed by 28 October 2014.
3. Goods are defined as originating in Crimea or Sevastapol which are wholly obtained in Crimea or in Sevastapol or which have undergone their last substantial transformation there
1 EU′s list of designated goods can be found in Annex III of the regulation
2 exploitation means exploration, prospection, extraction, refining and management of oil, gas, and mineral resources and provision of related geological services but does not include maintenance to ensure safety of existing infrastructure
3 list of designated minerals can be found in Annex II of the regulation.
Exemptions: 
1. Article 3 Regulation 692/2014 23rd June 2014 provides for the execution of trade contracts until 26th September 2014 in respect of such contracts concluded before 25th June 2014 or of ancillary contracts necessary for their execution. Article 3 also requires persons, entities or bodies seeking to perform the contract to provide a minimum 10 days notice to their EU member state competent authority. Furthermore goods made available to the Ukrainian authorities and entitled to ″preferential origin″ status in accordance with Regulation 978/2012 and Regulation 374/2014 or the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement may also be exempt.
3. Article 6 Regulation 692/2014 23rd June 2014, as amended, prohibits the payment of claims in respect of contracts or transactions which are prohibited by the Regulation if they are made by designated persons, entities or bodies listed in Council Regulation 269/2014; persons, entities or bodies acting on behalf of designated entities; persons, entities or bodies who have been found by a competent authority to have infringed the prohibitions in Regulation 692/2014 ; or if claims relate to the import of goods originating in Crimea or Sevastapol.
Scope of Application: 
1. Article 10 Regulation 692/2014 23rd June 2014, as amended provides that it shall apply:
a) within the territory of the European Union
b) on board any vessel under the jurisdiction of a member state
c) all nationals of any member state wherever located
d) any business inside or outside the territory of the EU, which is incorporated or constituted under the law of a member state
e) any business or person doing business in the EU.
2. It is now unlawful for European flagged/managed vessels to perform such trade. Furthermore, the prohibitions will prevent P&I clubs domiciled in the European Union from providing P&I insurance to any vessel of whatever nationality engaged in such trade. Prohibitions will also apply to non EU domiciled members and clubs to the extent that the prohibited activity and/or insurance provided constitutes business done in whole or in part of the EU. All international group club rules contain exclusions in relation to claims arising from trades for which it is unlawful to provide insurance by reason of sanctions.
3. Regulation 825/2014 entered force on 31 July 2014.
Regulation 692/9014.
eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:JOL_2014_183_R_0004/
Regulation 825/2014.
eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32014R0825/
European Union Law. eur-lex.europa.eu/
HOLIDAYS:  1 January (New Year's Day); 7 January (Orthodox Christmas); 14 January (Old New Year's Day); 8 March (International Women's Day); Holy Trinity Day; Easter; 1 and 2 May (Labour Days); 9 May (Victory Day); 28 June (Constitution Day); 24 August (Independence Day); 5 October (Teacher's Day).
CONNECTIONS:  Up-to-date travel advice available from the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office website at www.gov.uk/fco
BANKS:  The official currency of Ukraine is the Hryvnia (UAH). US dollars and Euros are the easiest currency to exchange in Ukraine. UK Sterling may also be exchanged at a more limited number of sites.
There are numerous currency exchange kiosks and travellers cheques can be cashed at some banks. Use only official exchange booths. You will need to present your passport to exchange money. You should be given a receipt (NBU Form No. 377). Keep the receipt as you may need to produce it if you exchange money back on departure.
ATMs are also available and credit cards are widely used in cities. Outside cities you should make sure you have sufficient cash in local currency.
SHORE LEAVE:  Most visits are trouble free. But foreign nationals have been the victims of violent crime in Kyiv and other major cities. In some cases attacks have been racially motivated. Travellers of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent and individuals belonging to religious minorities should take extra care.
You should report any incidents to the police.
Be alert to the possibility of street crime and petty theft, which is on the increase in Kyiv. Foreigners may appear to be lucrative targets. Where possible, avoid walking alone late at night in dark or poorly lit streets. Keep valuables and cash safe and out of sight, especially in crowded areas, tourist spots, and public transport, where pickpockets and bag snatchers operate.
A common scam is to drop a wallet or bundle of money in front of a tourist. The criminal then ``finds'' the money and asks if it is the tourist’s or offers to share the money with them. If you are approached in this way, you should walk away without engaging in conversation.
Do not lose sight of your credit cards during transactions. Theft of and from vehicles is common. Do not leave documents or money in your vehicle. Unregulated taxi drivers can overcharge. Use official taxis, which have the name and telephone number of the taxi company on the side of the door and on the top of the taxi.
Do not leave drinks or food unattended as they could be spiked. Beware of accepting drinks from casual acquaintances.
Bus, trolleybus and tram tickets normally need to be validated by being `punched’ when you board. You can be fined on the spot if you are travelling with a ticket that has not been validated.
There is a wide network of minibuses. The fare is normally displayed on the window inside the minibus. You may need to pass your money to the driver via other passengers.