MARITIME TRANSPORTATION OF ENERGY

FROM RUSSIA & CENTRAL ASIA

- CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES -
....

" From Russia with Love"
 

10 & 11 OCTOBER
Grand Europe Hotel

ST. PETERSBURG- RUSSIA

introduction

Following the overwhelming success of Mare Forum 2004, Mare Forum & INTERTANKO are organising a logical sequel and progress report to the topic of “Maritime Transportation of Energy from Russia and Central Asia - challenges and opportunities”. Set for the second time in the Russian Federation on October 10 and 11, the location of this Forum will be again the ever bustling and lovely city of St. Petersburg, a major energy and shipping centre.

Destined in the short to medium term, to become the second biggest exporter of energy to world markets, Russia is faced with a compelling need to develop the infrastructure necessary to accomplish this task, the export of energy products being essential for its economic renaissance and prosperity. It is particularly challenging with the marine delivery system, the ports, and inland transport systems struggling to keep pace with the growth in exports, as demand for Russian energy from around the world, soars.

There are, furthermore no “easy” solutions with climate and geography conspiring to increase the technical difficulties of this infrastructural development. Russia’s historic problems of a lack of ice-free, deep-water ports have returned to haunt her, with every route her oil or gas can take handicapped by ice, extreme weather, or navigational constrictions.

Seasonal ice and fierce cold of the Russian Arctic and Far East ports, shallow water and the choke points of the Baltic Sounds and Turkish Straits mean that those concerned with Russian exports are compelled to use smaller and more sophisticated ships than those which serve deeper, warmer energy routes.
Ordinary, standard ships are not an option. Similarly, in the provision of port equipment that will operate safely in Russian winter conditions, and the development of ice science and operation, specific and usually more expensive solutions are required in these demanding trades.

It is also notable that this rapid expansion in Russian energy exports is taking place at a time when regulatory scrutiny on all sea transport is being intensified. Coastal states along the tanker routes are requiring far more assurances about the safety of shipping than they ever have done before. International law, which has hitherto protected shipping on “innocent passage” is being increasingly challenged, by direct intervention, on occasion, in a new level of intolerance of marine accident. Political pressures, reacting to public concern, can now be taken for granted, notably as this applies to virtually all tanker routes out of Russia.

Russian energy exports find themselves, as a result of their spectacular growth, in the centre of this regulatory attention. In a situation that is analogous with exports from Alaska, there is a compulsion upon those carrying Russian oil and gas to show that they are mitigating risk, putting in place adequate precations that will reduce the fears of the coastal states who see the tonnage of oil along their shores rapidly increasing. Political, technical, regulatory and operational issues will thus have to be addressed if the increase is to take place in an acceptable fashion.

Powerful, ice strengthened tankers, manned by seafarers and pilots experienced in the conditions and employing proper risk reduction strategies that will see ships safely navigating in highly sensitive areas in the Arctic, Turkish Straits, and Baltic Sea are thus an essential part of this energy expansion.

This, along with the port and terminal expansion and icebreaker provision, presupposes a considerable investment burden, on both Russian companies and overseas firms which are partnering them in this energy challenge. Here, too there are important issues which must be confronted, involving law and governance, and the need to modernise bureaucratic systems. There remain matters of political risk, taxation arrangements, accountancy standards and financial security which have to be addressed by both Russian and overseas participants if this important stage of Russia’s development is to progress.
This important high-level conference, bringing senior figures from both Russia and overseas together in St Petersburg , will focus upon issues of technical and operational capability, the human element and the need for specialist experience, regulatory concerns and how different areas of risk will be confronted.

The conference will consider Russia’s place in the energy world and the development of its resources, the marine system capability and its ability to deliver safely , the development of specialist equipment for the harsh conditions and the regulatory background, both in Russia and the coastal states along the tanker routes, where environmental concerns cannot be sidelined.

The conference, bringing together experts from around the world will also illuminate the legal, financial, corporate governance and investment issues that are having to be confronted as the world’s second largest energy reserves are brought on stream. And like all Mare Forum Conferences, a focussed agenda will be presented for policy makers, both from governments and industry.

This Forum offers eight distinct strands to this important and useful examination of progress and industrial performance:

Energy for the world
Transportation the key
Developing safe shipping - research imperatives
Challenging waters - ship operations
Financing the Russian Renaissance
Investing in Ice-class tankers-trade and LNG
Oil and troubled waters - environmental concerns
A focused Agenda for Policy Makers from Government & Industry

see programme: http://www.mareforum.com/ENERGY_2005_programme.htm
 

Set for the second time in the Russian Federation , the location of this Mare Forum will be St. Petersburg, a major energy and shipping centre.

We look forward to welcoming you in
St. Petersburg,
 

The Speakers

Sergey Frank
President and CEO Sovcomflot

Michael Grey
Columnist, Lloyd's List

Sergey Popravko
Chief Operating Officer Sovcomflot

Pavel Lyshko
First Deputy Dierector General, Rosnefteflot
 

Ake Rohlen
Stena Bulk Vice-President and Head of CIS Representative office

Sergey Burima
General Manager, Chartering and Fleet Operations

Sovcomflot

Iain Shaw
Managing Director, Braemar Seascope

Tom Fenel
Director and Owner, Alexia Shipping Ltd

Mikhail Perfilov
Director of Business Development CIS and Baltics
Fearnleys A/S

Kjell Landin
Marine Representative, ChevronTexaco

Dagfinn Lunde
Member of the Board of DVB Bank and CEO of the Shipping Division

Geert Dokter
Managing Director, MPC Münchmeyer Petersen Steamship BV

Vladimir I. Evenko
Vice Director General, Head of Classification Division
Russian Maritime Register of Shipping

Manolis Vordonis
Executive Director, Thenamaris (to be confirmed)

John Guy
Partner Merlin Corporate Communications

Gavin Stoddart
Manager Director, Moore Stephens CIS Limited

Igor Ponomarev
Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the IMO
 

Ingmar Loges
Director HypoVereinsbank AG

Colin Cridland
Director Research, Braemar Seascope

Steven Fewster
ING Bank

Admiral Robert E. Kramek, USCG (Retired)
President and Chief Operating Officer, ABS

Debbie Turner
Gas and Chemicals Research, Braemar Seascope

Rob Tustin
Busan Office, Lloyd's Register

Jan Koren
Business Director Tankers, DNV 
 

Port Executive
Primosk

Jannis Kostoulas
Managing Director Mare Forum

Peter Swift
Managing Director INTERTANKO

Christian Breinholt
Director Danish Maritime Authority

Robert C. North
Rear Admiral, U. S. Coast Guard (Ret.)
President, North Star Maritime, Inc.

and representatives of
invited companies

Primorsk Shipping Corp (Prisco)
 

Transneft - Lukoil - Gazprom - Rosneft

Sibneft - Kazmunaigaz - Europetroleum

Lia Oil - Novotec

[This forum is organised as back to back with the

Russian Maritime Registry of Shipping annual conference
 

which will take place following Mare Forum’s conference on 12 & 13 of October in St. Petersburg.]