Kyrgyzstan has developed a draft Maritime Code of Commerce, aimed at establishing a legal framework for the development of maritime transport and the use of vessels under the state flag of Kyrgyzstan. The draft has been submitted for public discussion.
The Code regulates relations related to merchant shipping and enshrines Kyrgyzstan’s right, as a landlocked state, to access the high seas and freedom of navigation in accordance with international law.
The document sets out the legal, economic, and organizational foundations of maritime transport and establishes procedures for the use of vessels for various activities.
Specifically, this applies to the transportation of cargo and passengers, fishing, marine resource exploration, scientific research, rescue operations, and yachting.
One of the key provisions of the draft is the creation of a state (international) registry of vessels for Kyrgyzstan. It will register ships authorized to fly the national flag of the republic. Vessel owners can be both citizens and companies of Kyrgyzstan, as well as foreign entities.
The city of Bishkek is proposed as the port of registration for the vessels. The name «BISHKEK» should be written on the stern in Latin letters.
The draft envisages the creation of a maritime administration of the Kyrgyz Republic—a body that will coordinate merchant shipping activities, maintain a ship registry, and monitor navigation safety and compliance with international standards.
Furthermore, the Code regulates matters of vessel registration, issuance of ship documents, ship arrests, maritime transport, crew activities, and captains’ powers.
The document specifically stipulates that warships and vessels transporting nuclear materials cannot be registered under the Kyrgyz flag.
