Growth of marine transportations intensity, sharp raise of transportation volumes by the sea of oil and linked to them hazards of marine accidents and catastrophes (for the period 1999-2001the sea accident rate not only was decreased, but was increased by 18 %) have stipulated an expediency of solving the issues of search and rescue at sea and elimination of marine accidents consequences, which in Russian Federation are solved in combination with issues of maritime safely. For the purposes of search and rescue of people at sea and elimination of marine accidents consequences at the Ministry of Transport of Russian Federation functions the State Marine Emergency and Rescue Co-ordination Service (Gosmorspassluzhba of Russia), having its subdivision at marine basins. For the last 5 years by the Russian salvors it was conducted 450 search-and-rescue operations, and in 2001 under co-ordination of marine rescue centers of Gosmorspassluzhba of Russia 763 lives were rescued In connection with activating of oil exploration and production at the continental shelf and because of hydrocarbons transportations by sea the danger of accidents that may result in large oil spills sharply increased. The risks of emergency oil spills, for example at Baltic, are estimated up to 2500 t. volume, at the Black sea - up to 3700 tons, and on catastrophes with tankers this figure would increase up to tens thousand tons, which proves necessity of raising of a level of equipment and professional readiness for relevant emergency response services. The requirements to potential polluters' oil rigs and oil terminals pertaining to preparedness to respond to oils spills get more severe and they have to respond with their own means and recourses to oil spills and for the purpose they should have relevant means and recourses. To unite the efforts of emergency services Russia has the bilateral agreements with neighboring states on search and rescue of people and oil spill combating at sea, and also takes part in all international conventions and in some regional agreements in theses field. Problem issues of the Russian salvors: Aging and none replenishing of ships and equipment; Insufficient budget finance of emergency and search and rescue standby. Basic sources of accidents: The human factor (violation of maritime safety rules); Carriages of dangerous goods by old-fashioned vessels. We see the way of decreasing the risks in solution of above problems.
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