OREANDA-NEWS. September 27, 2010. As is known, the consistent steps are taken in the country to promote shipping that is given paramount attention in the epoch of new Revival and fundamental reforms. Today, the tasks to expand and modernize the mercantile marine of Turkmenistan are of particular importance in the context of the new global initiatives put forward by the Turkmen leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov from the rostrum of the UN, in particular to develop extensive transport infrastructure in the region.

The important role of the sea port in Turkmenbashi town and Turkmenistan’s marine in developing transport and communications infrastructure in the Caspian Sea basin entails the enhancement of cooperation between our country and the UN specialized agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Lately, the IMO consultants conducted the training seminar for specialists of the State Shipping Inspectorate of the State Sea and River Transport Service of Turkmenistan in the conference hall of the Charlak Hotel.

This new agency under the newly formed State Sea and River Transport Service of Turkmenistan was established instead of the Turkmendenizyollary Service this summer in accordance with the Resolution of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. It was called into existence by the fulfilment of the important tasks set to water industry workers by the Turkmen leader due to the growth in freight turnover at the Turkmenbashi international sea port, modernization of seaport infrastructure and an increased number of large-capacity vessels in the merchant fleet of Turkmenistan.

Seminar participants learnt about the history and the priority vectors of the activity of the International Maritime Organization established to promote international cooperation in the field of marine transportation and maritime commerce. The international practices in providing technical supervision at a national level, including applying the international standards for monitoring the safety of navigation in the activity of Turkmen maritime administrations was presented in the form of a dialogue between the IMO consultants and Turkmen specialists of the maritime agencies of Turkmenistan. The UN IMO consultants Marin Petrov and Chinas Orestis delivered a series of lectures on various provisions of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, the Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea and other international legal documents, including the agreements on combating marine pollution.

Participants exchanged views on the long-term prospects for collaboration between the IMO and the Stat Sea and River Transport Service of Turkmenistan, the IMO programmes for technical assistance updating the activity of the national maritime administrations that would lay the safe routes of peace and cohesion on the blue roads of the Caspian Sea.