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Sat 27 Jun 2015 00:10

Oil spill response bill rejected in Russia


State Duma rejected a bill that would have changed regulations over oil spills in Russian waters.

Bunkering businesses and other shipping interests in Russia will have been disappointed to learn that the State Duma - the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia - rejected a bill which would have meant the end of a strict regulation that many see as unnecessary.

State Duma decisions on Russian shipping legislation

On Friday, State Duma officials in Russia made public their decision to reject a bill that would have changed regulations over oil spills in Russian waters.

Currently there is a requirement for obligatory state environment expert approvals (SEEA) before any response activities can be planned for oil spills that occur. The decision by the State Duma affirmed this law by rejecting a bill that would have given oil companies a closed list of responses sanctioned by the SEEA.

How shipping businesses in Russia reacted

According to sources in Russia, bunker companies were campaigning strongly for the State Duma to accept legislation to change the oil spill procedure laws. This is because of the costs that the current laws create for bunkering businesses and others in the oil fuel supply chain.

It has been pointed out by business leaders in this industry that the current bill puts many bunkering companies in a very compromised position whenever an oil spill crisis happens, placing an additional burden on companies dealing with an already difficult situation.

Rejected bill to be brought up again

The rejected bill is to be brought up again at a meeting of the State Council of the Russian Federation later on in 2016.
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