The forum of shipbuilders took place in Moscow
31.03.2006 14:55

Totally over 300 delegates from 43 regions of Russia, including 110 heads of the large research and industrial organizations, arrived to participate in it. There were also the representatives of practically all federal institutions in a way related to the maritime policy of the nation. During 6 hours of the conference 28 speakers made their reports. In our past survey we have already informed of the highlight of this important event, this is just to give some more shades of the atmosphere and the details of the conference.

For example, the head of the agency of industry Boris Aleshin was supposed to deliver his speech in the beginning, however, he asked the secretary to give the floor first to other speakers so that he, as the announcer of the points of the shipbuilding strategy, could summarize everything in the end.

Apart from the well known complaints regarding the strange policy of the national government which puts shipbuilders in the conditions unfair to those enjoyed by foreign competitors (taxes and import duties), the participants also referred to the more “usual” problems. First of all they mentioned the constantly growing prices for energy as well as the old debts incurred by the shipbuilding companies long ago. Such debts, if not restructured, is a serious burden on the economic development.

Some regions suffer from the lack of the skilled labor and trained professionals. The wages of the laborers fluctuate from “miserable” 300$ “take home a month” to $1500, if the company has orders at the moment. The representative of Kalinigrad region warned that in Poland, for example, the government abandoned the restrictions on employing foreigners. It means that the close and far away competitors, who also feel shortage of good labor, is able to take away the specialists from Russia, who needs them badly herself.

Some journalists pointed out a “typical” form of the report at the conference. Different people from different regions had practically the same structure of the text. First they informed of what their company makes and then listed practically the same drawbacks of the state policy shipbuilding suffers from. Largely they could be divided into two groups. One complained about the policy only, another smaller one, more skeptical, mentioned that without state defense order commercial shipbuilding in Russia makes no sense.

The head of KSMK Mikhail Heifits “put oil in the fire”, according to the Russian set expression. He publicly stated that the federal purpose oriented program stipulated by the governmental decree ¹713 dated Oct, 11, 2001 was no fulfilled according to its main activities, stages and terms. In particular the reform of the shipbuilding is not planned. The government grabs the entities which make profit right at the moment. The speaker once again criticized the proposals of the Rossudostroienie, later those of the agency of industry, aimed at integrating the industry into the so called holdings. According to Mr. Heifits these plans too much deal with monopolism and too little with the strategic interests of the state. Many details that the head of KSMK revealed at the conference were already voiced by him during the recent public discussions regarding the three frigates conflict.

The head of the dept of development of the infrastructure of the MoT Sergey Bystrov provided some interesting statistics. Today Russian fleet is 25th in the world from the point of view of the total tonnage. However, if we count Russian ships under the convenient flags, it will be the 13th place. In 1992-2005 some structural changes took place in the Russian fleet.

Sea shipping companies reduced the total dwt from 10,6m tons to 2,6m tons. The fleet under foreign flags controlled by Russians increased 2.9 times. Average age under Russian flag – 22 years, under foreign – 7.4. In 1992-2005 215 transport vessels were built (total dwt 7.3m tons), of which 20% at national shipyards.

The demand for the foreign trade of Russia by 2010 will be 540.5 m tons, of which 306,6 – liquid (37% growth from 2005), 233,9 – dry (23% plus). The evaluated need in the new ships in 2002-2010: 169 vessels with the total dwt of 7,5 m tons, of which 78 dry cargo carriers (1,2 m tons, 16,7% of the total number of new ships), 89 tankers (6,2 m tons (83,3%)) and 2 passenger ships. Totally 84 auxiliary ships will be needed. Russia will also need before 2010 huge tankers, including gas carriers, totaly over 30 vessels with the dwt between 100 and 300 thousand tons. Unfortunately these ships, as well as the dry cargo carriers (5-8 ships between 70 and 170 thousand tons) will have to be given away to foreign shipyards, as local industry does not built such sizes.

Keeping in mind the large percentage of the foreign made spares in Russian ships the MoT, the Duma and other institutions are preparing the law “On legislative support to the development of the shipbuilding industry of Russian Federation”, which provide for economic incentives for the contractions at national shipyards. Under this law federal and regional budgets will provide subsidies, delayed payment procedures, preferential credits, tax exemptions (including VAT) and obligatory quotas for Russian export-import carriers.

The second Russian Ship Register will be introduced.

According to Mr. Bystrov the MoT and the ministry of industry are close to taking the decision to allow using the existing or constructed fleet as a bank deposit in Russia. MoT is working on ensuring the technological opportunities in Russia to build the ships up to 300 000 tons dwt.

The delegated of the conference approved the public address to the government. Among others it included the following points:

1. The state institutions together with the related industry’s representatives should urgently develop a system of political, economic and scientific measures which would ensure stable development of shipbuilding in the short-, medium- and long term.

2. The participants of the conference recommend to the President of Russia, State Duma and the Federation Council to officially recognize shipbuilding as a strategic sector and include in the list of national projects.

3. The government must ensure most complete utilization of the national production capacities via a number of really working economic and political instruments.

4. The means from the Stabilization and Investment Funds must be directed to financing the construction and repair of the ships in the interests of the national Navy, Border Guards, river and sea transport.

5. To ensure the efficient and dynamic administration of the shipbuilding sector it is suggested to restore the all-Russia state structure of management of the industry.

The above proposals were voted for unanimously.

News source: Shipbuilding.Ru
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