MEMORANDUM

The Russian Federation is one of the world's leading maritime nations. As of January 01, 2003 there were 1122 sea-going vessels controlled by Russia, with the total tonnage of approximately 12 million dwt.

The maritime transportation system of Russia comprises 53 sea commercial ports turnover of which reached 260,9 million tons in 2002.

The Government of the Russian Federation realizing particular importance of merchant marine transportation to the national economy, pays regular and continuous attention to the issues of the national maritime transport development and, as a consequence of the country's participation in the activity of international maritime organizations, to the implementation of the internationally recognized standards and international agreements elaborated within the framework of those organizations with the IMO playing the leading role among them.

The Government of Russia approved the "Concept of Shipping Policy of the Russian Federation" in the year 2000. The President of Russia signed in 2001 "The Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation up to the year 2020" and the Maritime Board attached to the Government of Russia was established then.

The Maritime Doctrine defines the principal conceptual directions of the Russia's maritime transport development for the period up to the year 2020 and establishes the basic principles of the national shipping policy including inter alia the following: strengthening the role of the Russian Federation as the Flag State; the Port State Control; preserving and improving the system of maritime personnel training. Besides, a particular sub-section "Ensuring safety of maritime activities" has also been included in the Maritime Doctrine.

The above-mentioned program documents thus determine the measures to be taken not only to improve the quantitative indicators of the maritime transport development but its qualitative parameters as well with the view to meeting the international requirements for safety of navigation, environmental protection and maritime security.

A relevant administrative system and appropriate legal framework exist in Russia for that purpose. The State Maritime Service (SMS) of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation actually carries out the duties of both the Russian Maritime Administration and the head Agency representing Russia in the International Maritime Organization.

A number of the Russia's latest efforts in ensuring safe functioning and sustainable development of maritime transport should be noted in this connection, as follows:

-A mechanism for port state control in 16 sea and river (estuary) ports of the European Russia (within the framework of the Paris MOU) and in 9 commercial sea ports of the Russia's Far East (within the framework of the Tokyo MOU) was developed and completed in 2002 and its steady operation has since been ensured;

-Upon the accession of Russia to the Black Sea Memorandum (BSM) the work was completed on establishing of a full-scale structure for control on foreign vessels, and of a BSM Information Center within the Maritime Authority of the Port of Novorossiysk;

-The Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) being since 1969 a full IACS member has for the last years significantly increased the number of its international representatives. The RS carries out conventional examination of vessels on behalf of maritime administrations from 36 states (they were only 9 in 1995);

-The RS performs in accordance with the IMO requirements and on behalf of the Russian Maritime Administration, examinations of the Russian shipping companies and vessels on compliance with the requirements of the International Safety Management Code. 280 shipping companies and 1281 vessels have been certificated since 1996;

-The RS has organized annual international seminars on sub-standard shipping for ship owners since 1998. Lecturers from the IMO participate in the seminars also. The next Sixth Seminar is planned for the autumn of 2003;

-According to the Rule 1\10 of the IMO International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) of 1978 with 1995 amendments, agreements are signed with 30 foreign maritime administrations on mutual recognition of the certificates of the sea-going vessels' crew members;

-The Russian Maritime Administration has already taken steps in order to implement the provisions of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), adopted by the IMO in December 2002.

The Russian Federation as the successor of the USSR has been a member of the International Maritime Organization since December 1958 and has been elected to its managing body, the IMO Council (Category "A"), since the creation of the Organization.

Russia has always taken active part in the work of the IMO, fully supported its universal character and direction of activities aiming at development of standards and rules intended to ensure overall safety of navigation, maritime security and environmental protection, and meeting new challenges to the international commercial shipping.

The Government of the Russian Federation, willing to contribute to the further development of cooperation within the IMO framework, achievement of the tasks and goals of the Organization and preservation of its high international prestige, declares its intention to stand for re-election to the IMO Council in Category "A".