Maritime Code of Georgia (No. 715-IIS of 1997)

The Maritime Code of Georgia regulates relations with maritime navigation. 'Maritime navigation' means the use of ships for carrying passengers, cargo, luggage, and post; for fishing and other offshore harvesting operations; for exploring and extracting minerals for towage and rescue operations, and for other economic, scientific and cultural purposes. The Code applies to ship traffic on the seas, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and other waterways, unless there exists another special law or international agreement of Georgia. The rules of the Code apply to maritime carriage carried out in direct multimodal or direct water transportation in cases directly referred to in the Code. This Code also applies to matters not addressed by special legislation regulating such carriage. Carriage and towing operations between seaports of Georgia are performed by ships flying the national flag of Georgia. Foreign ships may perform operations between seaports of Georgia in compliance with the international agreements of Georgia. The Code among others provides for ship registration, ship crew, seaports of Georgia, safe navigation within a seaport water area, pilotage services, property sunk in the sea, reimbursement of damages caused by the collision of ships, compensation for damages resulting from environmental pollution by ships, liability of a nuclear ship operator for nuclear damage, and reward for salvage at sea. The Code is divided into 25 chapters and 375 articles.