Nickolai Reshetov: We have a good chance to enter the “white list”
In the nearest future, marine vessels are to get special signs of ecological safety. Russian Maritime Registry of Shipping (RMRS) has recently completed the development of the Instructions for equipping the vessels in compliance with ECO and ECO project status. Nickolai Reshetov, Director General of Russian Maritime Registry of Shipping, has told PortNews IAA about how and where the ship owners may get the ECO sign for their vessels.
- Nickolai Alexeyevich, what do the ECO and the ECO PROJECT signs mean?
- New fields of hydrocarbons are under active development today in the regions of the Far North. Of course, it results in growing volumes of tanker transportation via the Baltic and the North Seas. Thus, prevention of air and water pollution is getting much more important today. We understand the necessity of an integrated approach to the issue of environment safety. So RMRS has developed additional requirements specially targeted at improvement of environment safety and protection standards.
The requirements have been developed on the basis international documents relating to sea protection. All of them support the decisions of International Maritime Organization (IMO), requirements of marine administrations and international maritime industry. Our requirements are sometimes much stricter compared to those of international documents.
The vessels conforming to new requirements will be given additional signs. ECO means vessel’s conformance to major requirements in respect of control and restriction of operational emissions and spills for existing vessels and those under construction. ECO PROJECT is a sign implying additional requirements in respect of control and restriction of operational emissions and spills. It specifies additional requirements related to prevention of pollution in emergency situations to be considered at design stage. It may be given to vessels under construction, built passenger vessels as well as to the coastal vessels.
- Will the requirement be obligatory or may be considered as just a recommendation?
- Both signs may be received upon voluntary decision of a ship-owner. Having confirmed such a decision RMRS examines the vessel to ensure its conformance to the above requirements. After the sign is given the requirements become obligatory.
- How much do you think the vessel refit may cost?
- I think it is possible to estimate only when we know the scope for each vessel since it depends on the equipment already available at the vessel.
- Where are the ship owners to get the sign?
- Both ECO and ECO PROJECT are additional signs in the character of a ship classification. So the signs are to be given at the branches of RMRS.
- Are there any similar requirements in other countries? Will foreign vessels need such a sign when entering territorial waters of Russia?
- Yes, of course. Similar requirements have been developed by such classification societies as DNV ("Clean" and "Clean Design") or GL ("EP"). The vessels with such signs are safer for both air and water. Besides, such vessels are to be in the confidence of ship owners, cargo carriers, insurance companies, marine administrations of the flag state and port authorities. Thus, all the costs to be incurred in the course of construction or re-equipment will be repaid during the operation period.
- When speaking about international relations we cannot but remember that Russia has been recently excluded from the "black list" under Paris or Tokyo Memorandums. What lists is Russia currently in?
- Today there are eight regional intergovernmental agreements relating to control of the vessels by the country of the port. Marine administration of the Russian Federation is a member of three agreements – Paris, Tokyo and Black Sea Memorandums of Understanding.
In 2002 Russia was excluded from the "black list" of Paris Memorandum, in 2004 it left the "black list" of Tokyo Memorandum. Today Russia is in a "gray list" of Tokyo and Paris Memorandums – somewhere between "white" and "black" lists. I think Russia will enter the “white list" of Tokyo Memorandum in 2007. The amount of detained Russian flag vessels is getting less day by day. Our results are very good and we have good possibilities for entering of the “white list". As for the Black Sea Memorandum, it does not imply distribution per lists. These results have been achieved owing to large efforts taken by the Registry and Rsmorrechflot. Over the last 10 years the experts of RMRS have carried out almost 3.5 thou examinations of Safety Management Systems. About 10 thou vessels have been inspected. All remarks considering non-compliance with International Safety Management Code relate mostly to technical maintenance and repair, documentation as well as to emergency preparedness. I think we may improve shipping safety only if we join our efforts. All the representatives of international community need to cooperate. A number of international seminars were dedicated to this issue. The last seminar was "Substandard shipping – it problems and cooperation as the way to solve them".