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Port as seen through service

On October 9, PortNews information & analytical agency supported by the Association of Shipping Companies held a Round Table meeting “Port Service as and Instrument to Improve Port Attractiveness” within the framework of Transtek-2008 exhibition held in St. Petersburg. The event was supported by RosMorPort FSUE and Russian Association of Marine and River Bunker Suppliers. Tallinn shipyard, Gazpromneft Marine Bunker and Petersburg Oil Terminal sponsored the Round Table which was dedicated to the current state and perspectives of port class vessels’ renovation in the ports of the Russian Federation.

In the nearest future further penetration of landlord port model (state port with private operators) is expected according to Patrick Verhoeven, Secretary General of European Sea Ports Organization, who opened the Round Table meeting. “We expectfurther penetration of landlord port model. Corporatisation and commercialisation of port authorities are to contribute to the process. In the nearest future public ownership is not likely to be challenged in continental Europe,” Mr. Verhoeven said.

The role of state enterprise RosMorPort as service provider in RF seaports was covered by Igor Ostanin, head of RosMorPort FSUE department for port operation. According to him, RosMorPort FSUE currently working out a draft Ecological conception, which is to envisage construction of new port class service fleet. In particular, from 2020 it is planned to begin implementation of a program on construction of ecological vessels for RosMorPort FSUE. Apart from other sources the program may be financed by European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. According to preliminary plan, two new ecological vessels are to be deployed in the port of Ust-Luga, one vessel - in Russian ports of Azov-and-Black Sea Basin and one - in the Far East.

Evgeni Ryaby, Director on ecology and major construction of Port Fleet CJSC, spoke on prospects for designing and construction of port class ecological fleet. According to him, Port Fleet CJSC will have the construction of new oily water treatment station completed by January 2009. Ecomarine-3 plant is designed for collecting, treatment and processing of oily water with oil products content of up to 20%. Port Fleet representative noted that the cleaning procedure is different from that earlier applied in Russian practice. The station is also fitted with the system to transfer waste into heavy fuel oil, which can be then used again. The new station is to handle growing flows of cargo in the port.

During a discussion dedicated to safety of mooring operations in seaports an opinion was expressed that port administrations use double standards in their attitude to tug companies. As Vyacheslav Lobikov, deputy Director General of Baltijskije Buksiry LLC (Baltic Tugs), it causes unhealthy competition in ports. “Under healthy competition, any customer has a choice of tugs and towing companies. I think such a situation could make all the companies to improve the quality of their services so that their tug boat would be selected next time,” he said. Round Table participants noted that the Rules and customs of the Gulf of Finland ports (port administrations work on this document) do not always have complete information about the region’s tug companies. So ship owners and shipping agents are not well informed about towing companies operating in the port.

Aleksandr Bolotnik, deputy Director General on regime and personnel of Petersburg Oil Terminal, told about development of oil spill response plans for the port’s terminals. According to him, approval of OSR plans have been unreasonably dragged on from spring 2008. The discussion participants representing business structures attribute it to the desire of the federal Agency of Marine and River Transport of the RF Transport Ministry to strengthen control of OSR activities in seaports. Some representatives of St. Petersburg bunkering companies consider it to be the Agency’s “attempt to monopolize the market of ecological services” through a requirement to sign contract for emergency alert under OSR plans exclusively with structures authorized by the Ministry of Transport. Authorization of ecological companies by the RF emergency Ministry proved to be not enough this year. Only Baltic Basin Emergency Response Department FSUE has obtained the required authorization from the Transport Ministry.

At the end of the Round Table meeting Valery Karkachev, Director General of Tallinn shipyard held a presentation of the yard’s capacity on construction and upgrading of the fleet.

In the nearest future follow-up recommendations approved by the Round Table participants are to be placed by PortNews IAA at the agency’s Web-site.

Aleksandr Glukhov, Harbour Master of Passenger Port Saint Petersburg

Roman Baluyev, deputy Head of RosPrirodNadzor North-West Federal District Department