By KYIV. Nov 16 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved Ukraine’s proposal to amend the existing traffic separation schemes (TSS) in the approaches to the ports of Odesa and Illichivsk and between the ports of Odesa and Illichivsk by combining them into a single traffic separation scheme approaches to the ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdenny.
As reported on the website of the State Service for Maritime and River Transport of Ukraine, the adopted changes will come into force six months after their adoption by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee, that is, from June 1, 2023.
"The development of events in the maritime region of Ukraine, in particular, the intensification of food exports via the grain corridor and the future economic potential of Ukraine as a coastal state, clearly demonstrate the relevance and significance of accepting Ukraine’s proposal for the post-war reconstruction of the country, its port infrastructure and the development of maritime navigation," the service said.
The proposal adopted by the IMO makes some changes to the existing parts of the traffic separation scheme (TSS) in order to improve the safety of navigation and eliminate the differences between the national TSS and the TSS adopted by the IMO in 1981.
The updated TSS establishes the safest routes in the deepest waters for ships sailing to and from the Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdenny, as well as towards the ports of Mykolaiv and Kherson, and is designed to simplify traffic flow patterns and optimally organize the movement of ships that enter / leave the three specified ports.
