Vessels certified by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping will not have access to Bulgarian sea and river ports from April 8, a new order by the Executive Agency "Maritime Administration" reads.

The head of the agency in Varna, Captain Valentin Enchev, told BTA that the ban was related to the restrictions imposed by the EU on Russia because of the war in Ukraine. Capt. Enchev recalled that sanctions against Russian ships have been in place for a long time and such ships do not have access to European ports unless they are transporting gas or oil. Now the ban also covers vessels that have received a class certificate from the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, regardless of the flag under which they sail.