One of the key issues to be considered during 10th meeting of the International Association of Ship Owners of the Black Sea Basin (BINSA) being held in Baku is passage of vessels via the Russian internal waters, President of the Organization Aydin Bashirov, Chief of Azerbaijan`s State Caspian Shipping Company told Trend today.
According to him, many countries, including Ukraine and Azerbaijan is very interested in simplifying this process. The Ukrainian party expresses its wish to carry loads to the Caspian Sea as well.
Mr. Bashirov pointed out that the passage of vessels is carried out on the basis of the Russian legislation. At the same time, the Russian party assured the parties that it will do all possible to make appropriate alterations to these regulations.
Not only carriers but also the canal services of this country gain from the passage of vessels via the Russian internal waters, pointed out the Chief of the Caspian Shipping Company. If Russian vessels pay canal duties at the rate of $6.000-$7.000, Azerbaijani and Ukrainian vessels have to pay about $30.000.
At present, Azerbaijan receives one time permissions on the passage via Russia`s internal waters. There are a situation emerged in the Black Sea this year, when the load from one Azerbaijani vessel which had no corresponding permission had to be transshipped to another one which had this permission to deliver the cargo from Bulgaria to Azerbaijan.
A more normal situation is observed in relations between the countries-members of BINSA. The vessels of the member-states of this organization have privileges and discounts during repairing in ports. This year, Azerbaijan is about to sent one of its vessels to the Odessa Shipyard for repair, pointed out Mr. Bashirov. According to him, both the cost of the repair and terms of the implementation of these works are quite convenient to Azerbaijan.
...