Self-regulatory organization “Russian Association of Marine and River Bunker Suppliers” has addressed the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia in the name of its head Igor Artemyev. According to the appeal available to IAA PortNews, the Association thinks that with fulfillment of the instructions contained in the teletypogram of the Central Energy Customs chief (dated 22.08.2013 and related to the place of customs clearing of goods declared as supplies) companies owing bunkering vessels will have to stop their business activities or limit them to bunkering of short-sea vessels because of inability to carry out operations on loading of bunker fuel as supplies. Consequently, owners of specialized oil terminals will actually become monopolists in bunkering of foreign shipping vessels in the Russian Federation.
“We believe this will result in considerable limitation of competition in this sector. In some ports (with the only specialized oil terminal), this competition will be completely eliminated», the appeal says.
Besides, the teletypogramsets forth unwarranted restrictions in respect of owners of bunkered vessels, the Association thinks. Upon completion of cargo operations those vessels have to re-moor at the berths of oil terminals. With the mooring/re-mooring and bunkering taking long time, introduction of new customs formalities will make ship meet considerable loss caused by unreasonable downtime.
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