Shipbuilding firm calls on President Putin to step in a businesses dispute
Pacifico Marine Ltd. has appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the situation with the catamarans, being constructed for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit-2012 to be hosted in Vladivostok, the shipbuilding firm said in a statement. According to a Pacifico Marine spokesman the Company fell prey to a hostile takeover.
PortNews has obtained a copy of the letter to the Russian President.
“Dear Vladimir V. Putin,
On the background of the APEC Summit-2012 in Vladivostok there is another manifestation of disrespect for the right of ownership of a private enterprise, which had dared to implement the project of manufacturing modern composite materials vessels in the Russian Federation in Primorsky Krai (Territory).
Mr. G. Lazarev, a Primorsky Krai Legislative Assembly member, who is also an owner and manager of Vostochnaya Shipyard, has seized and locked under a forcible takeover scenario the property of a private company Pacifico Marine Ltd., which was on the territory of Vostochnaya Shipyard under the lease agreement for the construction hall, where it (Pacifico Marine) executes the construction of high-speed crafts of composite materials according to modern technologies. The property right of Pacifico Marine has been violated in part of disposal of property seized (the shipyard owner banned its transportation) and interference in management (the firm’s staff is not allowed to enter the territory, their permits confiscated). The seized property (of Pacifico Marine) includes a high-speed passenger catamaran "VLADIVOSTOK”, factory № CD 342/02 for 223 passengers, built to provide transport service for the APEC Summit-2012, ordered by the State Unitary Enterprise Gosnedvizhimost and paid by taxpayers of the Russian Federation.
We had to appeal to you because of total inaction of authorities of Primorsky Territory, of Primorsky Territory Police, Prosecutor's Office of Primorsky Krai, FSB of Primorsky Krai in the maintenance of the integrity of ownership. The mentioned above authorities have been informed about all circumstances of the misconduct, including criminal acts under the cover of parliamentary immunity: an assault and battery of a main builder of Pacific Marine while performing his duties on the catamaran "Vladivostok", pressure on Pacific Marine to force it to walk out of another contract, registered in the State register of newbuilds, for a catamaran under construction (factory № CD 342/01) at the time built by Pacific Marine and handed over to JSC Vostochnaya Shipyard for outfitting and further delivery to the customer.
Mr. Lazarev refuses to comply with the payment obligations for the delivered catamaran hull (factory № CD 342/01) to his company.
Infringement of Pacific Marine’s right of ownership was forced it to revoke its registration on the Primorsky Territory and seek refuge in other regions of the Russian Federation and outside Russia.
This not only a modern enterprise, but also the company’s highly skilled stuff, who know it’s own value, abandon the Primorsky Territory. Under the pressure of the above mentioned circumstances Rusnano refrains from large-scale investments in the development of composite shipbuilding on the basis of Pacifico Marine Ltd. on the project, which had been developed over the past two years.
We are ready to provide all the available evidences to any specified address.
Sincerely Yours, Director of Pacifico Marine S. N. Voloshenko.”