This Law hereby regulates the legal regime (mostly administrative issues, technical provisions, and offences and penalties) as regards the maritime spaces, inland waterways and ports that are present/located on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.
As defined by this Law, the maritime spaces and inland waterways and ports of Bulgaria exercise sovereignty (sovereign rights), and control in accordance with the generally recognized principles and norms of international Law and international treaties to which Bulgaria is a party.
Major objectives of this Law are the following: facilitating the sea and river connections; ensuring the safety of navigation, protection of the marine and river environment during navigation and maintaining of the ecological balance; ensuring equal market access to port services and increased efficiency in their implementation; improving the quality of services offered to users of the ports; cost reduction and the promotion of sea and river transport, including short-haul and intermodal transport; control of the compliance of the legal regime in marine areas, inland waterways and ports; and many other issues that are stipulated with the aim of correct and sustainable use and management of the above mentioned structures.