Private pilots are drifting to the shore

Education is a service, subordinated to Rosmorrechflot, as foreseen by the draft law meets the best international practices and “will create an effective mechanism that can guarantee the provision of pilotage services in all sea ports of the Russian Federation,” reads the letter (there is a “RG”), directed the Director of the Department of state policy for Maritime and river transport Yuri Kostin, the former President of the Association of sea pilots of Vladimir Egorkina. Ministry of transport, “RG” confirmed that the letter was prepared within the framework of work with citizens ‘ appeals.

the Creation of a unified state pilotage service provides the draft amendments to the merchant shipping Code of the Russian Federation, which was submitted to the Duma by group of senators in January. To consider in the first reading it is planned in the coming days.

the Pilots ensure the safe passage of vessels, including foreign ports, their work can affect, for example, export development, because either increases or decreases their attractiveness to shipping companies. The project is the control of the pilot to fully transfer to the state.

the Idea of creating a state pilotage service was discussed at the beginning of 2000-ies. The discussion even led to a split of the pilot movement.

In 2016, a draft law on this was prepared by the Ministry of transport. The Ministry noted that private pilots are only in ports where you can make good money – their only 15. And in ports, which come only a few small ships a month, a pilot functions are performed by the state, and this activity unprofitable.

the Financial part of the problem is clear. Pilotage dues annually in Russia is 3.5-4 billion rubles. Supporters of the nationalization of the pilot case believe that the government could direct some of these funds for infrastructure development of ports. The authors of the bill also believe that the appearance in sphere of provision of pilotage services to private companies out of balance and inhibited the development of the whole system and violate international obligations of Russia to ensure the safety of navigation in their ports.

Private companies give their counterarguments. To create a unified state pilotage organizations budget will have to buy more than 60 vessels worth about 10-15 billion rubles, said the Director of the National Association of pilotage organizations (NOLO) Viktor Riabokon. In the organization also believe that the bill contradicts the norms about the unacceptability of containment economically viable transition of natural monopolies to the competitive market. As for security, it does not depend on the form of ownership, according to NOLO.

In the end, critics of the idea of a singleOh pilotage service indicate the risk of its inefficiency. In this part of with them in solidarity at the Federal Antimonopoly service (FAS). “The introduction of legislative restrictions on the provision of pilotage services by the private sector not so much can lead to restriction of competition as to limit the supply of such services for the shipowners and put the ports in dependence on the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of a unified state pilotage service”, – explained the “RG” of the Deputy head of FAS Russia Alexander Redko. He also noted that the current system reduces the risk of corruption and positively affects the capacity of sea ports.

Whatever the decision of the state Duma, experts point out that in the world there are both the organization of activities of pilots. “In a number of Maritime countries with a market economy in Norway, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Greece, the leader of the world economy – China and other countries pilotage service today state”, – said the coordinator of the project “Marine policy” Center for strategic estimates and projections Anna Gornova.