Any documents – whether certificate of competency or seafarer’s identity document – issued after 15 July 2014 by the so-called “harbour masters” of the seaports in the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, are null and void, have no legal effect and, by their very nature, should be considered fraudulent. It is stated in the document submitted by Ukraine for consideration of the IMO Sub-Committee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping in London.

In its statement at the Sub-Committee’s session the representative of Ukraine called upon the IMO Member States not to recognize the Russian Federation’s claim to implement IMO conventions, including the STCW Convention, on the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.

Following consideration, delegations of the EU countries, the United States as well as the representative of the European Commission have supported the position of the Ukrainian Side, condemned the attempted annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and once again called upon the IMO Member States to remain committed to fully implement policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.