Masters and owners of small vessels say no proper regulation of sailing in the Gulf of Finland
Upon the order of the Board of Maritime Education (Maritime Council, St. Petersburg Government) a seminar dedicated to sailing of small-size vessels in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland was held in St. Petersburg on April 19, 2008. The target was to arrange direct dialogue between yachtsmen and state authorities responsible for maritime issues. As PortNews IAA learnt from the organizer of the seminar, Vladimir Kichinski, President of International Baltic sailing center, it was the first time when yachtsmen of the North-West region could hear direct qualified answers as regards navigation of small-size vessels. The participants of the seminar included representatives of the RF Federal Border Service, administrations of seaports (St. Petersburg, Primorsk, Vyborg, Vysotsk), State Inspectorate of Small-Size Vessels of the RF Emergeny Ministry as well as related public associations.
According to Kuchinski, the issue is especially urgent in view of two international sailing competitions St. Petersburg is to participant in summer 2009: TSR-2009 and Volvo event. “We should make the federal center understand the necessity to bring the legislative framework into compliance with modern requirements of small-size fleet,” Kuchinski said.
The seminar participants considered the dialog to be fruitful. Similar seminars are to be held twice a year – before navigation and upon its completion.