Putin decrees FSB approval for vessels entering Russian ports from abroad

President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a decree on requiring Federal Security Service (FSB) approval for vessels entering Russia from abroad.

The decree, which was published on the government portal, established that the entry of ships from foreign ports to Russian ones will be "carried out with the permission of the captain of the seaport, agreed upon with an official of the FSB."

The new measures came into effect immediately after the decree's publication.

No reason was provided for issuance of the decree.

Rules for ships entering Russian ports were previously determined by the Transport Ministry, state news agency TASS reported, adding that special procedures applied for vessels arriving at ports adjacent to Russian naval bases.