Russia asks for ships disinfection from Iran, Italy and South Korea in Novorossiisk - document

MOSCOW, March 5 (Reuters) - Russia required mandatory disinfection of ships arriving at the Black Sea ports of Novorossiiysk and Yuzhnaya Ozereyevka from Iran, Italy and South Korea because of the coronavirus, a document seen by Reuters showed.

The branch of Rospotrebnadzor, the Russia's consumer safety watchdog, has ordered port agents "to arrange the disinfection of ships arriving from these countries before the border is opened" in the city of Novorossiisk, the document showed.

Novorossiisk port is one of the biggest in the Black Sea. It handles grain, coal, mineral fertilizers, timber, oil and oil products, containers, food and chemical cargoes.

Rospotrebnadzor's press service didn't answer a request for comment. (Reporting by Gleb Gorodyankin; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)