Russia’s Environment Ministry starts monitoring bunkering operations in all RF seaports
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry of the Russian Federation has commenced comprehensive monitoring the compliance with environmental protection laws when carrying out bunkering in all seaports of Russia, the Ministry says.
The monitoring will be performed under the instructions signed by Vladimir Putin following the meeting on developing ports in the Azov and Black Sea region, which was held on September 23, 2014.
According to Environment Minister Sergei Donskoi, the first phase of the monitoring will cover foreign and Russian bunkering companies, bunkering vessels, oil tank farms and seaports of the Primorsk territory, Kaliningrad region and Saint-Petersburg. The second phase will cover the facilities of transport infrastructure in the water areas of the Barents and White Seas, primarily the port of Murmansk. In spring, the inspectors will monitor the ports of Kamchatka and Sakhalin.
According to Sergei Donskoi, all the aspects of the companies’ activities will be inspected, from permits and expert approvals to evaluation of actual impact of infrastructure facilities on aquatic ecosystems in case of an oil spill and ballast water discharge.
Besides, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environmentwill inspect the activities of bunker companies and foreign shipping companies regarding removal of fuel without paying customs duties during bunkering of ships sailing under foreign flags in Azov and Black Sea region sea ports in places not designated for freight operations and outside of customs supervision.
Related link:
Vladimir Putin gives instructions related to bunkering and development of transport infrastructure in Russian South>>>>
