The Cabinet of Ministers has simplified the procedure for obtaining permits for operational dredging at Ukrainian seaports, the press service of the Ministry of Infrastructure has announced.
Now, permits for operational dredging will be issued once by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, and it will be valid indefinitely if the rated specifications of a seaport’s water body or canal or the technological solutions and conditions of the dredging work do not change.
Previously, permits for the same type of work needed to be obtained every time the need arise to maintain water depths at the proper level. In addition, approvals needed to be obtained from six different government agencies and institutions. In most cases, it was necessary to spend more time on obtaining permits than on the actual work, the Ministry of Infrastructure said. As a result, operational dredging at Ukrainian seaports was not performed in time.
"The introduction of a simplified procedure for dredging means substantial saving of public funds and time. If, for example, least six months was needed to obtain a permit in 2014, this period will now be reduced to one month. We expect the new procedure to allow creation of a more attractive environment for ship and cargo owners," the press service of the ministry quoted Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Yurii Vaskov as saying.
The simplification of the procedures for obtaining dredging permits was initiated by the Ministry of Infrastructure and supported by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. This procedure will now be established by the Cabinet of Ministers resolution No. 574 "On Amendments to the Procedure for Issuing Permits for Work on Water Fund Lands" dated 30 July 2015. The resolution came into force upon its publication on 15 August.
