RS at the 68th session of the UNECE Working Party
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) contributed to the work the UNECE Working Party on the Standardization of Technical and Safety Requirements in Inland Navigation, held between April 15-17, 2026, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. RS, a member of the national delegation, was represented by Sergey Legusha, Senior Principal Surveyor of the International Affairs Department.
The session gave preliminary approval to existing provisions, as well as new provisions to Resolution No. 61 – Recommendations on Harmonized Europe-wide Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation Vessels. Changes include a complete revision and expansion of Chapter 8 (“Engine design”) and a revision of Chapter 3A (“Fire Protection”).
The amendments aim to harmonize Resolution No. 61 with the provisions of the European standard laying down Technical Requirements for Inland Navigation vessels, Edition 2025/1.
The draft amendments will be submitted for consideration by the Working Party on Inland Water Transport at its 70th session in October 2026.
Special attention was given to the digital agenda. As part of the Workshop “Digitalization in inland water transport,” participants outlined priority areas for regulatory action, including issues related to digitalization and automation in inland navigation, as well as the transition to electronic documents and certificates.
The 69th session of the UNECE Working Party will be held in 2027. In the intersessional period, efforts will focus on preparing proposals for the key agenda items.
Additional information:
Founded in 1913, Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) is a world-renowned classification society that operates within all spheres of the maritime industry with the goal of improving the operational and environmental safety of marine transportation. RS reviews technical documentation, surveys ships and offshore facilities under construction and in service, certifies vessels and companies for compliance with international conventions, recognizes and certifies industrial products and manufacturers, certifies quality management systems for compliance with international and national standards.
Today, RS is actively expanding its scope of services in the field of engineering and consulting, the development of technical documentation for vessels in service, marine warranty surveys, management system certification and recognition of manufacturers. In addition, RS surveys all container types, including tank containers and offshore containers, confirms compliance of packaging for dangerous goods, as well as renders services on the declaration and certification of dangerous goods and bulk cargoes.
