Russia will considerably strengthen its emergency response forces at the Baltic Sea by the launch of Nord Stream, Andrei Khaustov, head of GosMorSpasSluzhba Rissii FSUE (Russia’s State Emergency Response Service), told journalists according to Rosbalt.
"In connection with the implementation of Nord Stream project RF Ministry of Transport has developed a special program on modernization and strengthening of Russia’s emergency response forces at the Baltic Sea,” he said. “For that purpose considerable funds are to be allocated by the federal budget while Russia’s specialized fleet is to get 15 vessels by 2011".
Rescue vessels, tug-boats, slick-bar placing vessels etc. are to be handed over to Baltic Basin Emergency Response Department (St. Petersburg) but they will be based not only in Russian ports of the Gulf of Finland but in the port of Baltijsk (Kaliningrad) as well.