The Independent Appeal Board Case Panel has considered the Appeal brought by Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) against the IACS resolution to withdraw RS membership that was passed on 11 March 2022, the Russian Register said in a statement.
The Case Panel agreed that IACS and RS were presented with an unprecedented and certainly unforeseen situation, whereby decisions had to be taken, with regard to the applicability of UK sanction regulations to IACS and its members.
In its report, the Case Panel noted that although it could understand why the IACS Council decided to withdraw RS membership when faced with the unprecedented set of circumstances, it could also understand why RS felt the decision had been rushed and lacked transparency.
In its conclusions, the Case Panel recommends that IACS Council should consider review of its decision in the light of the current sanctions regulations.
In its recommendations for future action, the Case Panel also invites IACS to consider applying to the competent authorities for a licence to reinstate the membership of RS on the grounds of enhancing future maritime safety.
Acknowledging that the Case Panel does not have the authority to revoke the decision to withdraw RS membership and has no authority to reinstate membership; as well as understanding that the status of RS’s withdrawn membership for the present moment still remains unchanged, RS now awaits for the IACS Council to review the Case Panel report and its recommendations and to take actions as appropriate.