Russian President Vladimir Putin signed Federal Law “On Making Amendments to the Federal Law 'On Seaports in the Russian Federation and on Making Amendments to certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation” No. 177-FZ of July 18, 2017.

The federal law was approved by the State Duma on July 5, 2017 and passed by the Council of the Federation on July 12, 2017.  

The federal law regulates relations associated with the creation, development of seaports and implementation of activities.

The document specifies issues regarding the territory of the seaport, i.e. to determining and changing its boundaries. Particularly, the Russian government is vested with the powers to take decisions on determining or changing the boundaries of the seaport and expanding the territory of the seaport, to approve the procedure for determining or changing the boundaries of the seaport territory and expanding the territory of the seaport.

The requirements are imposed on creating, opening and closing a seaport, as well as on creating facilities of the seaport infrastructure. According to the federal law, a decision on creating a seaport is taken by the Russian government. Such decision can envision the activities linked to forming land plots and artificial land plots, building capital construction facilities relating to facilities of the seaport infrastructure and other activities.