Sovcomflot CEO Sergey Frank meets IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim
International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim visited Sovcomflot’s office on 16 September 2017 as part of an official visit to Russia.
Sovcomflot says the working meeting was attended by: Russian Minister of Transport, Maxim Sokolov; Russian Deputy Minister of Transport and Head of Federal Maritime and River Transport Agency, Victor Olersky; Director of the Department of State Policy for Maritime and River Transport of the Russian Ministry of Transport, Vitaly Klyuev; Russian Chamber of Shipping President, Alexey Klyavin; Sovcomflot President & CEO, Sergey Frank; Sovcomflot First Deputy CEO and Deputy Chairman of the Arctic Economic Council, Yevgeny Ambrosov, and Sovcomflot First Deputy CEO and Chief Engineer, Igor Tonkovidov.
The meeting agenda included the most pressing issues concerning the regulation of international shipping activities overseen by the IMO, in particular the new requirements regarding the use of low-sulphur fuel on ships, starting from 2020.
Mr Frank informed Mr Lim about Sovcomflot’s activities, noting in particular that the company is the largest shipping company in Russia, and also one of the world leaders in providing safe energy shipping and in servicing oil and gas projects on the continental shelf. The company also focuses on serving projects in harsh climatic conditions.
The Sovcomflot President & CEO stressed that developing large-capacity shipping in high latitudes is inextricably linked with issues concerning maritime safety and environmental protection. Given the fragility and vulnerability of the region’s ecosystem, Sovcomflot’s key priorities remain the safety and quality of the services it provides, the application of advanced technology logistical solutions, as well as ensuring eco-friendly and energy efficient operations.
The company is a pioneer in the conversion of large-capacity vessels to the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a fuel. The first Aframax-class oil tankers with LNG-fuelled engines, ordered by Sovcomflot, will begin operations in the third quarter of 2018. This technical solution is consistent with the international emission limits that will be introduced in 2020, applying in the Baltic and North Sea basins amongst other areas, and will significantly enhance the environmental impact of shipping.
The IMO Secretary-General was particularly interested in Sovcomflot’s experience in enhancing professional training, as well as the social security of seafaring personnel.
Mr Lim thanked Mr Frank for the meeting and the introduction to the company’s activities. He also stressed that the Sovcomflot Group’s long-term motivation programme for its senior seafaring personnel is a good example for the entire shipping industry, and expressed a desire to extend this practice to other shipping companies across the world.
