Russian Government delivers big blow on vessel clearance red tape

The Russian Government has drastically simplified the procedure of vessel inspection and clearance in fish ports to reduce call handling to a matter of three hours.

According to the Head of the Russia's State Fisheries Committee Andrey Krainy, this is a revolutionary step as the wasteful inspection delays will come to an end and more Russian boats should be lured by more comfortable conditions to land catches at home rather than in Norway of Busan.

The current document has received consents from all the interested Government bodies (Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Agriculture, Customs and Border services).

According to the new regime, the vessels will be inspected and cleared by all the services simultaneously acting as single inspection team.

The draft of the new procedure was submitted to the Cabinet on 14, March 2008 after the preceding conference energetically conducted by the President Elect Dmitry Medvedev. The representatives of the State Fisheries Committee and Border service of Russia's Federal Security Service attending the meeting came under heavy fire from Mr. Medvedev for the delays in the matter scheduled by his earlier order for completion on 20th of February of 2008.