Tag: Russia

catching and transporting live crab without permitting documents Russian border guards have detained in the Russian Sea of Okhotsk a Cambodian-flagged vessel suspected of poaching crab, a border guards spokesman said on Monday.He said fishing vessel Nardin with 18 Russian crew members on board attempted to escape after it was discovered by border guarders. After six-hour pursuit a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) aircraft joined in and forced the suspected poachers to stop.The detained ship carried equipment for catching and transporting live crab, he said, but the crew did not have any documents permitting fishing.Russia banned exports of live crab in May 2007, but large volumes are still smuggled out of the country every year, primarily to Japan and South Korea.Source: Ria Novosti

Russia has opened its inland waterways to foreign-flagged ships Russia has opened its inland waterways to foreign-flagged ships, following amendments to the Russian Inland Water Transport Code signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and posted on the Kremlin website on Thursday.The amendments were previously approved by both houses of Russia's parliament.The amendments allow navigation of foreign-flagged vessels in the Russian inland waterways for sporting, cultural and recreational purposes, if they carry no more than 18 people on board, including no more than 12 passengers. Navigation will be carried out in accordance with the regulations set by the Russian government.The crews of foreign-flagged ships must have all necessary documentation confirming the vessel's type and designation and the right to sail under the flag of the country they are registered in.All foreign-flagged ships are subject to compulsory pilotage in Russian inland waterways, unless otherwise stipulated in Russia's international treaties.The Russian government is empowered to approve the lists of ports and internal waterways open for foreign-flagged ships.Source: RIANOVOSTI

Capable of transporting a up to 25 million tons of LNG per year Russia will by 2020 need a total of 30 LNG tankers, a leading politician with maritime policies says.Vyacheslav Popov, leader of the Commission on National Maritime Policy in the Russian Federation Council, says Russia by year 2020 will need a total of 30 LNG tankers capable of transporting a up to 25 million tons of LNG per year.Vyacheslav Popov represents Murmansk Oblast. He is a former head commander of the Northern Fleet.The Shtokman project will need 12 tankers, the South Tambey field (Yamal LNG) 12 tankers and the two fields Kumzhinskoye and Korovinskoye a total of six, Popov said in an interview with the Russian Shipbuilding corporate newspaper.Russian companies currently have a total of 150 vessels of different kind suited for operations in the Arctic, Popov said, Oilru.com reports.As BarentsObserver has reported, Russia's biggest shipping company Sovcomflot plans to transport parts of the Arctic LNG along the Northern Sea Route.Source: Barents Observer

Combating piracy is a complex task Maritime piracy cant be condemned too strongly. It is a breach to the most fundamental principles of modern civilization. In the worst-hit areas off the Horn of Africa, no seafarers whether on merchant ships or even yachts can be safe at sea.Today more than 600 seafarers are being kept hostage by Somali pirates. They are all innocent victims of the unscrupulous hijackers operating at sea off the Horn of Africa and in the Indian Ocean. Their families are afraid that they will never see their beloved ones again.Piracy is unacceptable by all humanitarian, security and legal standards. Besides this, it has an impact on global trade. Though it is difficult to calculate, experts estimate the total cost of piracy to be about $16 billion in 2010 alone.From 2007 to 2010 the number of attacks and hijackings by pirates at sea has more than quadrupled. Russia recognizes that piracy is also a growing and a serious challenge to the security and business of its commercial fleet. In this context, Russias contribution of naval forces to the international anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa is very welcome.The deployment of ...

Green light for two energy efficiency contracts The contracts will see DNV providing services for two of TNK-BP's oil production subsidiaries, OJSC Yugraneft Corporation and OJSC TNK-Nizhnevartovsk.The work, which has already commenced, includes provision of advisory services for the development and implementation of an Energy Management System under the ISO 50001 standard.Improving energy efficiency - a pressing task DNV's climate change services regional manager for Europe, Luc Larmuseau, explained that increasing government attention on energy efficiency in recent years - coupled with a fast development of legislation - is contributing to the rapid expansion of the market for energy efficiency services. Russian markets are of particular importance."Improving energy efficiency is a pressing task - not only for Russian oil and gas companies, but for the Russian economy as a whole, as has been acknowledged by Mr Medvedev, President of Russia," said Larmuseau.He added that optimising current technological processes and increasing the energy efficiency of production will enable Russian companies to significantly increase their competitiveness in the European market. "This is an area in which DNV can contribute with all its competence, expertise and vast international experience," said Larmuseau.Diversifying services The new deals are DNV's first non-core service contracts in Russia, ...

MODU project for Northern Lights and Polar Star completed Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) has issued classification documents for semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) Northern Lights, thus signifying completion of the construction to the RS class of two semi-submersible MODU (project 3091) for OOO Gazflot.The project included construction of two semi-submersible MODU: Northern Lights and Polar Star. The units are designed for drilling up to 7500 m deep wells at sea depth up to 500 m. The semi-submersible MODU are capable to operate in the Arctic conditions in the broken ice up to 70 m thick.RS performed survey at every stage of the construction which began in July, 2008. In December 2010, RS issued classification documents and international certificates to the prototype unit Polyarnaya Zvezda. The project of its sea towage from the South Korean shipyard to the port of Holmsk (island of Sakhalin) was developed and performed under the RS survey.For the reason of accidents commercial offshore oil and gas production presents major risks to marine environment in the areas of drilling activities and along the ways of hydrocarbon transportation. The exploration, drilling and transportation of hydrocarbons may seriously damage the sensitive ecosystems of marine environment.RS has ...

The law includes amendments for the registration of ships flying the Russian flag The Federation Council has approved the Law On Amendments to the Merchant Shipping Code of the Russian Federation," the Russian Ministry of Transport said.The law aims at bringing the countrys legislation on merchant shipping in accordance with international treaties of the Russian Federation, as well as to clarify the functions of federal executive bodies in accordance with the structure of the Government of the Russian Federation.The law also amends the procedure for registration of ships under the national flag of the Russian Federation, the legal regime of vessels registered in the Russian International Ship Register, etc.Source: Port News

A leading terminal operator in Russia and the Baltic States Russian ports operator Global Ports may begin pre-marketing of an IPO next week, Reuters reports citing unnamed sources close to the Group.The company is 90% owned by N-Trans, the majority shareholder in publicly traded freight operator GlobalTrans Investment (GLTRq.L).Global Ports Investments Plc. is a leading terminal operator in Russia and the Baltic States, handling major volume of containers and petroleum products. The Group is owned by N-Trans, the largest Russian private transportation and infrastructure group. Located in the Baltic and Far East basins, GPI's terminals enable Russia's import / export of containers and petroleum products.GPI operates three container port facilities in Russia (including Petrolesport and Moby Dick Co Ltd. in St. Petersburg and VSC in Nakhodka), two container terminals in Finland and Vopak E.O.S., the major Baltic petroleum products terminal. Besides, the Group is currently developing the project of Yanino terminal in St. Petersburg region.Source: Port News

Interest rate subsidies and other financial measures Russia will prepare a law to support shipbuilding industry in Far East by next week, Vice Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov said Sunday while inspecting the construction of maritime terminal on Kunashir Island.According to the RIA Novosti report, the document will include a number of measures aimed at economical support of the sector, among them interest rate subsidies and other financial measures.Besides, the law will make provisions for measures aimed at ship owner's advantages in building ships at domestic shipyards.Meanwhile, Ivanov also said geothermal energy development is necessary for the region."We need to develop geothermal stations. New stations have to be built here," Invanov said at a conference on the islands on "Social and Economic Development of the Kuril Islands 2007-2015" under Russia's Federal Target Program.Ivanov noted that the main purpose of his visit to the Islands is to check the progress on the federal target program for Russia's Far East, with an aim to tackle three major problems of the region -- transport infrastructure, energy and social services.The financing for the program will amount to 15 billion rubles (0.54 billion U.S. dollars) till 2015, which will not be affected despite the financial crisis.Ivanov ...

Continue implementing the federal rescue fleet upgrade program in 2011 Russian government will continue implementing the federal rescue fleet upgrade program in 2011, Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin said on Friday, speaking at the Ministry Board, PortNews reports."Last year, ship owners funded the construction of 15 merchant vessels, there were also 9 rescue vessels built through the federal budget. In 2011, we plan to put into service the same number," Mr. Levitin said.The Federal Agency of Maritime and River Transport of Russian Transport Ministry (Rosmorrechflot) has scheduled the launch of 6 Russian salvage ships of new generation for June.The vessels are being constructed at three Russian shipyards: JSC Nizhny Novgorod MV Plant, JSC Nevsky Shipbuilding, Ship Repair Plant LLC and JSC Yaroslavsky Shipbuilding Plant.Source: Portnews