The validity period of certificates and seafarers' passports issued in Ukraine was extended until June 30, 2022. The official reason is called Covid-19, without mentioning the blocked State Register of Seamen.
The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine sent the corresponding letter to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). According to the document, Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov asked IMO Secretary General Kitaka Lim to inform all IMO member states about the extension of the documents of Ukrainian sailors.
The MIU said that they would extend the documents for all seafarers, regardless of whether they are on the shore or on a voyage, until June 30, 2022. According to the new decree of the MIU, working diplomas of seafarers will automatically be extended until mid-2022 if their validity expired on March 1, 2020 or later. With regard to marine certificates, their validity must end on or after January 1, 2021 for automatic renewal.
The MIU claims that the basis for the extension of the documents was the measures to combat Covid-19 and the related problems with crew changes in many countries. But there is another reason why Ukrainian sailors cannot confirm their diplomas and extend the validity of certificates.
Thus, all maritime services, including the «electronic seaman's office», have been blocked by the SBU for a long time. The State Register of Seamen, although it was developed and created for public funds, has been on a private server since the end of 2019.
The register has already been transferred under the control of the MIU, but they have not yet been able to restore the work of the seaman's office. This may take several months for the MIU and the Ministry of Digital Science. At the moment, the Ministry of Infrastructure cannot fully ensure the operation of marine services at state facilities.
The State Register of Seafarers of Ukraine is an electronic system for issuing documents for the employment of seafarers, where the entire database of seafarers is located. With its help, the sailors confirmed their qualifications and received diplomas.