Maritime Industry Briefing: Russia Targets Ageing Foreign Vessels While Ningbo Ocean Plans $1.5bn Fleet Expansion

## Russia Moves to Restrict Ageing Foreign Vessels Russia is advancing draft legislation that would bar foreign-flagged merchant vessels older than 40 years from calling at its ports, according to Splash247. The country's transport ministry has published the proposed restrictions for public consultation, signalling a significant tightening of oversight over the fleet carrying Russia's seaborne trade. The move carries broad implications for the so-called 'shadow fleet' — the ageing, often opaquely owned tankers and bulk carriers that have become central to Russia's export logistics following Western sanctions imposed after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Many vessels in this fleet are well beyond the 40-year threshold under consideration, meaning the legislation, if enacted, could disrupt established trade flows or accelerate a forced renewal of the tonnage serving Russian ports. The public consultation period will allow industry stakeholders to respond before the draft is finalised, though the direction of travel from Moscow appears clear: greater scrutiny of the vessels operating within its maritime jurisdiction. --- ## Ningbo Ocean Maps $1.5bn Eight-Ship Leasing Expansion On the growth side of the ledger, China's Ningbo Ocean Shipping is preparing a substantial fleet expansion, with Splash247 reporting that the Shanghai-listed carrier has unveiled plans to lease eight new vessels under agreements carrying potential rental commitments of up to RMB 10.3bn (approximately $1.53bn). The proposed programme covers four 7,000 TEU containerships alongside additional tonnage, reflecting continued confidence among Chinese carriers in long-term container demand despite ongoing volatility in global freight rates. The scale of the commitment underscores the appetite among Chinese shipping companies to lock in modern, fuel-efficient capacity ahead of tightening environmental regulations. Ningbo Ocean's expansion is the latest in a series of major fleet investment announcements from Chinese carriers, as the country's shipping sector consolidates and modernises in response to both commercial opportunity and regulatory pressure from bodies such as the International Maritime Organization. --- *Sources: Splash247. This briefing covers the most relevant maritime industry developments from recent newswire reports.*