OREANDA-NEWS. October 14, 2014. Representatives of the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS Russia) took part in the I “Marine Fuels and Oils 2014” International Forum organized by the Committee of the Chamber of Trade and Industry of the Russian Federation on Energy Strategy and Development of Fuel-and-Energy Complex jointly with “InfoTEK” Oil and Gas Magazine.

Participants discussed the issues of increasing competitive ability of Russian fleet, forecasts of developing freight base of marine transport in Russia and the prospects of bunker market.

Attendees included representatives of federal executive bodies, vertically-integrated oil companies (including oil refineries), non-government associations and organizations, independent small and medium refineries, bunkering companies, producers of marine oil, shipping companies, etc.

At the conference, an advisor of FAS Fiscal Control Department, Stanislav Druzhinin, made a report on “Antimonopoly Regulation of the Market of Bunker Services”.

The report by FAS representatives triggered a discussion where experts exchanged opinions and agreed to separately elaborate on possibility to eliminate administrative barriers and develop competition on the market of bunker services.

The antimonopoly body has repeatedly revealed violations on the market, particularly, actions of the authorities aimed at preventing, eliminating restricting competition.

On 5th February 2014, the FAS Commission found that the Central Energy Customs, North-Western and Southern Customs Stations violated Part 1 Article 15 of the Federal Law “On Protection of Competition” and issued a determination to stop violating the antimonopoly law.

Actions of the Central Energy Customs restricted economic entities in their choice of bunkering methods and locations.

“The market of bunkering services undoubtedly is one of the most important logistical segments of world trade with oil products providing work to the entire global maritime traffic, the proportion of which is constantly growing. Developing competition on this market will be a step to creating barrier-free environment for operations of bunkering companies”, said an advisor of FAS Fiscal Control Department, Stanislav Druzhinin.