The closing event of the twinning project “Support to the State Maritime Administration to Improve Liability in Maritime Transport in the Republic of Azerbaijan” was held Dec. 8.
Addressing the event, Deputy Head of the Azerbaijani State Maritime Administration Shahlar Mammadov said that the twinning project was important in terms of bringing the national legislation governing maritime transport in line with international standards. Mammadov added that the project implementation was launched in November 2015. “The staff of the State Maritime Administration visited Italy, Spain and the UK within the project, where they met with local experts, representatives of relevant state organizations and ports and learn from European experience in maritime administration,” Mammadov added.
The legislation governing maritime administration was modernized due to the twinning project. In particular, amendments were made to a number of laws, the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Merchant Shipping Code.
Mammadov added that the State Maritime Administration attaches great importance to the improvement of legislation governing maritime administration.
In total, Azerbaijan ratified 18 conventions and eight protocols of the International Maritime Organization, as well as carried out important work to fulfill the obligations set forth within those documents.
The twining project consisted of three components. The new legislation, governing administrative responsibility in maritime transport and in particular, administrative liability for pollution of the marine environment, was prepared as part of the first component. The second component covers the modernization of secondary legislation in the same sphere, including the Merchant Shipping Code. The third component covers the improvement of knowledge and skills of the staff of the State Maritime Administration.
