On-line supplement
to the Maritime Market magazine

Last modified: 2015-01-18

Main activities:

The ASOP was set up in 1988 on the initiative of managers of the major ports of the former USSR, to combine their efforts when resolving a variety of problems affecting port activity. With the move to a market economy, the collapse of the USSR and associated changes in relationships within the industry and status of ports, the role of the Association in resolving a number of problems arising in the marine field has grown, as the ASOP is the only body having any influence on marine business anywhere in the economic area of the former USSR.

At the moment the Association has about 50 permanent members. These are the major ports in the former USSR, maritime institutes and institutions of higher education, large commercial structures such as Sovmortrans. ECONOMOU, ARS (manufacturing rescue equipment), INGOSSTRAKH etc. In its structure ASOP matches that of the International Ports and Harbours Association.

Its main work is concentrated in committees, covering a variety of fields in port activity, drawing up concepts and working out individual regulations for inclusion in statutory acts, and providing expert opinions on various projects. The best specialists in our industry take an active part in the work of the committees, along with representatives of other ministries, and expert advisers to the government and the president of the Russian Federation.

At present the Association has a co-operation agreement with the Maritime Fleet Service of the Ministry of Transport of Russia, the Russian Federatoin government’s Institute of Jurisprudence and Comparative Law, the Research Centre for Private Law and Jurisprudence of the Russian Federation and the Union of Russian Shipowners, whose representatives also participate in the work of the Association’s committees.

In 1998 the Association became a founder of the Institute of Maritime Law, became a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. As a result, the Association has succeeded in resolving many matters guaranteeing the survival of the country’s ports – matters relating to the nterrelationships of those involved in freight of «transport forwarding». Customs of the port have been introduced, there is a new statute on dues, on port administration and so on to taxes (the abolition of VAT), tariffs (a method has been worked out for forming tariffs on the basis of value, and recommendations have been drawn up for accepting through tariffs). Attention has been paid to the manufacture of transhipping equipment in this country and to producing advanced technologies. Great importance is being placed on drawing the attention of organizations to the transport corridors across Russia, and to the simplification of customs formalities and training.

The Association is making great efforts to set up equal conditions for healthy rivalry between all its member organizations, as in the Association’s views this is the main condition for progress.