Ukraine and Russia's naval administrations have signed a Temporary Provision on Ship Passing Mode in the Kerch Strait, the Transport and Communications Ministry of Ukraine reported. "The supply regulates that at least two times a day - at 9:00 a.m. and 21:00 p.m. - the parties exchange data on weather forecasts and storm alerts for ships to be informed, and in case of receiving information about a storm alert they should take a common decision to move the vessels to more safety places. Control and supervision functions rest with captains of the Kerch Commercial Port and Kavkaz Port in their responsibility zones," the Ministry's press-service has informed. An agent company should file an application to the Ship Control Centers "Kerch" and "Kavkaz" to be eligible for ship coming through the Kerch Strait. However, a minimal term for the application to be filed for the vessels staying in the strait and waiting for passing is no less than 6 hours to go. All the vessels that cruise along the Kerch Strait should request authority at the Ship Control Center "Kerch".

Furthermore, a common protection ship passing system is introduced in the Kerch Strait. So, the Ship Control Center "Kerch" of the Delta-Lotsman State Enterprise will regulate ship movement in Ukraine's responsibility area, while the Russia Ship Control Center "Kavkaz" is in charge of the navigational control in its responsibility area. The Ship Control Center "Kerch" should prepare daily a ship passing draft plan for the next day by 18:00 p.m.

Tankers and vessels carrying dangerous cargo are the first ships to pass the strait. All the vessels should pass the Kerch-Yenikalsky Channel only.