Russia drafts 40-year age limit for foreign ships as Paris MoU bans the 1985-built Lira
Moscow's draft would close its ports to older foreign tonnage 180 days after publication; Lira skipped an agreed repair yard at Piraeus
Russia's transport ministry has published draft legislation that would bar foreign-flagged merchant ships older than 40 years from Russian ports, and has put it out for public consultation. Russian-flagged ships would face a separate 50-year limit, with transitional arrangements tied to the validity of their classification certificates. If adopted, the rules would take effect 180 days after official publication.
Foreign-flagged ships older than 30 years would also need annual inspections to confirm that they meet safety and environmental requirements, with the certificates issued by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. Ships would be assessed on their inspection and repair records, technical condition and insurance cover. Contracts of carriage would have to specify the use of compliant ships, and marine terminal operators would take on additional responsibility for checking that ships meet the requirements.
The ministry first set out the 40-year limit for foreign ships in July, alongside plans for tighter oversight of older Russian tonnage. Deputy transport minister Alexander Poshivay said last month that the restrictions would not be adopted until Russia was confident that replacement ships could be secured, acknowledging that domestic shipyards face constraints on capacity, price and construction time. The draft remains a proposal.
Why has Lira been refused access to European ports?
In Europe, the Paris MoU has refused access to its region for the 89-metre general cargo ship Lira, IMO 8516744, built in 1985. She had been detained at Olbia in Italy, and one condition of her release was that she sail directly to a repair yard at Piraeus. She left Olbia on 3 October. On 15 October the Piraeus port state control office told the Paris MoU that she had not arrived and had given no update on her arrival, and the refusal of access notice followed. The deficiencies behind the detention have not been published.
Lira sails under the flag of Tanzania, having previously been registered in Panama, which places her among very high-risk ships under the Paris MoU's inspection targeting. The regime of 28 maritime authorities gives each ship a high, standard or low risk profile based on type, age, flag performance and the deficiency and detention history of the ship and her operating company; high-risk ships are typically inspected every five to six months. Its members inspect more than 17,000 foreign ships a year, and last year they detained 688 and banned 19.
This story is part of the Maritime Briefing of 3 November 2026.
