Caspian Sea: State of the Environment 2019

As noted above (see Mineral extraction section), the oil and gas sector devotes significant attention to sound management practices, including oper- ational standards and safety measures. However, increased oil production and transportation as a result of investment in current and future oil and gas projects continues to be of particular concern with respect to potential environmental risks. An assessment of the impact of maritime trans- port on the Caspian Sea environment has yet to be completed. The impact can currently be measured by indirect indicators, such as volume of goods transported or port capacity. The Port of Baku has a capacity of 5.9 million tons per year (Port of Baku 2018). Azerbaijan has been a member of the International Maritime Organi- zation (IMO) since 1995 and has acceded to all major conventions adopted under its auspices. In addition, on the basis of an inspection by the European Maritime Safety Agency, Azerbaijan has been included on the “White List” of coun- tries where the training and licensing of ship crews complies with the requirements of inter- national conventions.

The Azerbaijan Action Plan for the Sustainable Development of the Maritime Transport Sector is set to improve the safety and efficiency of the sustainable transport system, and help to prevent marine pollution, promote energy efficiency and protect natural resources (National Contribution). Kazakhstan has been a member of IMO since 1994 and has acceded to the main conventions adopted under its auspices. In 2013, Kazakhstan moved from the “Grey List” to the “White List” of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control, and has since confidently re- tained its White List spot (in 2015, the country was ranked at number 30 of 43 in the White List). The Ministry of Investment and Development of Kazakhstan recently announced that it is working with relevant organizations in other countries to establish a unified system for state control of ships in Caspian Sea ports. The system will be similar to the one used in the Black and Mediterranean Seas. This initiative is aimed at improving safety and re- ducing the number of accidents by concentrating efforts on monitoring older vessels which do not

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