According to a new decree approved by the government of the Russian Federation, freight forwarders will be required to verify the compliance of cargo with the information in contracts, notifying clients within one hour of any discrepancies, as well as conducting inspections with video recording.
These rules will come into effect on March 1, 2026, and will remain in force until March 1, 2032. The document establishes a list of necessary organizational measures aimed at identifying prohibited items and substances, as well as regulating the process of their implementation.
According to the new regulations, freight forwarders will have to carry out multi-level inspections of cargo. Initially, they will need to check the compliance of weight, volume, dimensions, and other characteristics of the cargo with the declared data, using weighing and measuring instruments, as well as visual inspection.
If discrepancies are identified, the freight forwarder is obliged to notify the client within an hour about the need to open the cargo. If the client agrees, the inspection can be conducted visually or using X-ray television systems. If the client refuses to open the cargo, the inspection will only be carried out using X-ray equipment.
The rules also emphasize selective inspections, which may be applied in the absence of preliminary checks. Such inspections must be conducted using X-ray television systems and video recording. Freight forwarders will be able to involve specially trained dogs for conducting odorological control.
As a result of the selective inspection, a report will be drawn up, indicating information about the person conducting the inspection, identified prohibited items, as well as the date and time of the inspection, and the cargo details according to the contract. This document must be signed by the freight forwarder or their authorized representative.
The new requirements cover all aspects of freight forwarding activities and establish clear deadlines for interaction with clients regarding cargo characteristics.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation has also developed a draft of new notification rules for transport and freight forwarding activities. This draft decree is currently undergoing public discussion, which will last until December 5, 2025. The document defines the form of notification and regulates the maintenance of a special register of freight forwarders.
Source: logirus.ru
