Instead of Accusations — Results: the Maritime Sector Notes Positive Changes at the Maritime Administration

While a public debate and a "black" PR campaign continue around the head of the Maritime Administration, Serhiy Hurskyi, maritime industry representatives call the accusations nonsense and instead point to practical changes in the agency's work — improvements to services for seafarers, digitization of procedures, and more systematic interaction with the professional community.

Skorokhod's claims about "shadow fees" found no confirmation in the industry One of the most resonant claims in MP Anna Skorokhod's public campaign was an assertion about an alleged "shadow fee" on the Danube of 30–50 thousand dollars per vessel slot in the queue. At the same time, the Association of Ports of Ukraine "UKRPORT" stated that it has no confirmed information about such payments and has not received related reports from its members. UKRPORT president Dmytro Barinov recently visited the Danube region and spoke with representatives of private terminals, state ports, the UASPA, and business. According to him, those conversations concerned real shipping problems — the throughput of the Sulina Canal, Danube shoaling, and procedural issues. He did not hear information about the claimed payments. "This does not exist," Barinov said, stressing that port operators, freight forwarders, and agents are primarily interested in increasing the number of vessel calls. Hurskyi is being accused of things beyond the Administration's authority At the same time, it is important to distinguish the powers of state bodies. According to UASPA data, the Sulina Canal is managed by the Romanian AFDJ, and the planning of vessel calls to Ukrainian ports is carried out based on confirmations from the port operator, the shipping agent, and the port administration. The main factor in forming the queue is the date of confirmation of the vessel for handling. In other words, organizing vessel calls, determining sequence, and cargo operations are not within the authority of the Maritime Administration. While accusations are being made, services for seafarers are changing separately Representatives of the professional community note changes in interaction with the Maritime Administration regarding the work of Ukrainian seafarers. The head of the All-Ukrainian Crewing Association, Pavlo Nikitin, says that state procedures for issuing documents and confirming seafarers' qualifications are gradually improving and being digitized. In his words, interaction between the professional community and the Administration has become more systematic, and attention to transparency and efficiency of procedures has increased. The important thing is that there is an effective dialogue, and Hurskyi not only communicates with the industry but listens. In particular, attention should be paid to the cancellation of an additional certificate — which was also called for by colleagues from the NGO "Together Against Corruption" — and to the effective changes developed by Hurskyi that increased issuance of seafarer identity documents by 50%. Experts say there is still work to be done, but there was a very strong start in three months. Note that this direction was among the priorities declared after Hurskyi's appointment in May 2026. Among the tasks named for the new Administration leadership were digitizing services, developing international cooperation, and ensuring timely provision of services to seafarers. The industry urges not to halt changes because of the public conflict For the maritime sector, stable regulator performance is especially important. Ukrainian shipbuilding, ship repair, and port infrastructure operate under difficult conditions, so maintaining workflows, continuity of services, and professional dialogue is crucial. The head of the public association "Maritime Cluster of Ukraine," Artem Vashchylenko, emphasizes that the public conflict around the Maritime Administration leadership should not stop the initiated changes and reforms. At the same time, the claims against the Administration head remain subject to an official investigation. 9 September the Cabinet of Ministers initiated disciplinary proceedings concerning Serhiy Hurskyi and suspended him from his duties. The commission must inform the government of the results by 23 October. The final assessment of the claims should come from that investigation, not from public statements or political evaluations. Until it concludes, any conclusions about the merits of the accusations are premature. The public campaign around Hurskyi requires separate scrutiny. Some high-profile accusations are not confirmed by maritime industry representatives, while professional organizations report changes in services for seafarers, digitization, and dialogue with the regulator. It is noteworthy that the critic of Hurskyi is MP Anna Skorokhod, who in December 2025 was notified of suspicion in a criminal case related to an offer of 250 thousand dollars to facilitate the introduction of NSDC sanctions. In June 2026, the pre-trial investigation was reported as completed. That fact alone does not indicate a link to the criticism of Hurskyi; however, the RBC-Ukraine editorial board will check the circumstances of the situation to find out what stands behind the public conflict around the Maritime Administration leadership.