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The Russian port of St. Petersburg plans to join the European Maritime Safety Agency's THESIS-S system, which serves as a platform to record and exchange information on the results of individual compliance verifications under Directive 1999/32/EC - relating to the reduction in the sulphur content of certain liquid fuels.

Speaking at the 9th 'Current State and Prospects for Development of Russian Bunker Services Market', held in St. Petersburg between 23rd and 24th June, Captain Alexander Volkov, harbourmaster at Big Port St. Petersburg, said that the the remote sensing system in the Emission Control Area receives data from sensors located in the Baltic Straits. These sensors are capable of detecting an excess of sulphur content in the marine fuel of ships passing through the straits.

In the case of an alleged violation signal, the captain of Big Port St. Petersburg will order sampling of bunker fuel from the suspected ship.

Volkov told the forum that the port is currently in talks with the EU authorities on how to connect the Russian port to THESIS-S.

The event was organized by the Russian Association of Marine and River Bunker Suppliers and held at the Ambassador Hotel in St. Petersburg.

Key topics discussed included: liquefied natural gas (LNG), changes in legislation, bunker business in free ports in the Far East, the impact of tax and shelf projects on bunkering, and the modernization of Russian refineries.

Compiled using data from PortNews