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Evgeny Petrushin: CPC Offshore Security has nothing to do with sailing for pleasure

Caspian Pipeline Consortium Marine Terminal in Yuzhnaya Ozereevka, near Novorossiysk is a high-security facility. Russia’s invisible border crosses this area and the border must be strong. All this and more was discussed in the interview with E. Petrushin, CPC Security Manager.
– Mr. Petrushin, how does CPC ensure security at the Marine Terminal?
– Certainly, this is a multifaceted question. First of all, it has to be said that we abide by the effective Russian and international laws and stringent border guard requirements. By the way, in sea terminology, the CPC Marine Terminal is called Novorossiysk Harbor Transportation Security Water Area #670. There is a long list of regulatory documents governing production and any other operations in this area. Apart from statutes, international treaties, government decrees, we have to comply with local regulations.
For example, in 2009 the Novorossiysk Harbor Master issued the Order On the Protection of the Novorossiysk Harbor Waters Against Illegal Interference Occurrences. By this Order, a manager of a transportation facility or a port facility is obligated to ensure security in Novorossiysk Harbor water areas, infrastructure adjacent to facilities and transportation security areas. So, for CPC these are the Marine Terminal as such, the single point moorings and the water area.
The water area adjacent to the CPC Oil Terminal is under our constant surveillance. We have so-called specially trained professionals who ensure CPC sea transportation security round the clock.
– What is their job?
– As I have already mentioned, they work 24/7 in shifts and patrol the area they are in charge of on a small patrol motorboat. Each patrol boat team includes a CPC Transportation Security Specialist and a shooter from the Ministry of Transportation Security Service. The motorboat is on patrol depending on weather.
Their objective is to keep a watchful eye on the area. In other words, they are to ensure security in their area, prevent intrusion of third persons, vessels, floating crafts and foreign objects into the area where CPC single point moorings (SPM) enabling tanker liftings are located. We have three SPMs. They are located 5 km offshore. Our people also patrol the small boat shelter near our Marine Terminal.
The patrol is in continuous communication with the On-Duty Security Officer. Apart from CPC Marine Terminal Security and Operations, they cooperate with law enforcement agencies, Harbor Master’s team and vessels that are involved in our process work in the security area.
There is a very strict action plan that the patrol has to follow, if any unauthorized activities are identified in water area #670. They take immediate actions when they spot swimmers, divers or third-party vessels and objects moving towards the transportation security area. As you see, they do not sail for pleasure.
– How does CPC Security address the human resources issue? Are there many candidates for transportation security positions? What do you expect of future employees?
– We do not experience any labor shortage, as there are many people who are willing to join the CPC team. Who has a chance of joining the Security Service? First of all, people who have background experience in defense and law enforcement agencies related to combat ship control in territorial waters.
They must know the operational environment of Novorossiysk Harbor. They should be able to set up an effective ad-hoc cooperation with law enforcement agencies in territorial waters. Most crucially, they should know how to handle sensitive information properly.
These people must have a degree in law or higher military education, as well as experience of at least 10 years in sailing small boats.
The Transportation Security Specialist must have a small boat sailing license issued by the State Small Boat Inspectorate, RF Emercom and be able to do small boat maintenance, use navigation, control and radio equipment.
– So, are a sea pleasure yacht master or a facilitator of sea fishing trips unlikely candidates for this job? After all, they are not random people at sea.
– Different people have different professional background. Certainly, having served in defense and law enforcement agencies, people can embark on different professional paths... Let me clarify it, apart from certificates, uniform, an ability to ensure security at port facilities and navigation safety skills, the specialist in question must not only know, but be able to apply federal laws and other regulations on transportation security and security of fuel and energy industry facilities. Considering this, can a sea pleasure yacht master meet these requirements? It is very unlikely...
Our specialist is required to know how to build protection against illegal interference, be able to organize the work of transportation security equipment and facilities and set up cooperation with law enforcement and security agencies.
This person must be able to communicate with vessels that are involved in our process activities and understand the role of each participant of the security and anti-terrorist protection process.
In CPC, we have a rule – Safety First! This rule governs not only occupational safety and health, but also physical, anti-terrorist and information safety at our facilities. Therefore, there are no random people, all the candidates undergo a rigorous recruitment and selection process.
– Which soft skills does your employee have to have?
– A transportation security job is tough. You will have to spend long hours at sea. So, you need to be self-disciplined, hardworking and patient.
You need to be committed.
Every time our personnel go to sea, they have to prepare, which includes a safety briefing of security posts that are directly involved in water area patrolling.
After all, they do not go fishing. At sea, you are not allowed any mistakes in ensuring security at a facility or a tanker being loaded with hazardous substances.
– Do you have any drills? Whom do you cooperate with to this effect?
– Of course, we have drills, at least once a quarter. This is a part of our job. Not only do we have drills, we provide training to our security personnel at the CPC Marine Terminal.
During such exercises, law enforcement representatives are to provide so-called dummy trespassers. They use different methods for checking how our specialists respond and assessing the actions of all security posts, sea patrols and transportation security control center.
Such drills are envisaged by a number of federal laws related to transportation security and security of fuel and energy industry facilities, as well as a special RF Government Decree. We are also guided by two internal regulations: MT Transportation Security Plan and Marine Terminal Drill and Training Plan.
It is important to note that the regional police, transportation prosecutor’s office and federal authorities exercise constant control over security and anti-terrorist protection actions at the CPC Marine Terminal. With that, they have a special focus on water area #670.
– Who supervises transportation security?
– State supervision and control are exercised by the Federal Service for Supervision of Transport and its territorial agencies. This is also governed by law.
State Aviation Supervision and State Transportation Security Supervision in Southern Federal District (Rostransnadzor) perform annual scheduled inspections of the Marine Terminal.
Since the Marine Terminal is a fuel and energy industry facility and a border checkpoint, it is subject to an annual scheduled inspection by the Main Directorate of the Federal National Guard Troops Service in Krasnodar Krai and quarterly audits by other state regulators.
– How are the CPC-R Marine Terminal (MT) and other Russian transportation facilities different?
– MT has its own transportation security area in the seaport waters where the single point moorings are located. The single point moorings mark the boundaries of the sea border checkpoint in Yuzhnaya Ozereevka. MT Security Service is to ensure access control within the said boundaries.
– You have mentioned the MT Transportation Security Plan. What is the purpose of this Plan and who is to endorse or approve it?
– This Plan and the related procedure are approved by the Head of the Transportation Security Administration of the Federal Maritime and River Transport Agency.
In particular, this Plan outlines security and anti-terrorist protection actions to be taken by our patrol motorboats in our SPMs area. Therefore, patrol teams are to meet high professional standards.
– Do your Transportation Security Specialists undergo any additional certification or their background education and experience suffice?
- Of course, they are subject to certification. Education and experience are basics. Certification is a prerequisite for on-site work.
Moreover, all the MT Security Service Specialists are subject to statutory certification. Such certification is envisaged by the Federal Law On Transportation Security and RF Government Decree On Approval of Transportation Security Personnel Certification Rules.
– What does this certification consist of?
It consists of testing personnel’s knowledge, skills and expertise, their soft skills and fitness level for compliance with RF transportation security requirements.
Following the certification, a specialist is either certified to work in transportation security or disqualified from such work.
All our new hires are required by law to receive further advanced professional training in transportation security.
In order to be fully compliant with the legislation, the CPC Management decided to introduce a Marine Transportation Security Specialist position in the CPC-R staffing table. These employees not only sail a patrol boat, they do everything we have just talked about. In brief, they ensure security on site.
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CPC has in place a robust transportation security plan to protect the transportation infrastructure facility “Marine Terminal – CPC-R Offshore Oil Terminal” from illegal interference occurrences. The Consortium is guided by a range of documents to this effect. These include: Chapter XI-2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, Maritime Safety Committee Resolution A.857(20) dd. 27 November 1997 Vessel Traffic Service Guidelines, RF Federal Law #16-FZ of 09 February 2007 On Transportation Security, Russian Government Decree #678 of 16 July 2016 On Transportation Security Requirements, Including Facilities Anti-Terrorist Protection Requirements, Factoring in Security Levels for Different Categories of Transportation Infrastructure Facilities and Means of Maritime and River Transport”, etc.

Novorossiysk worker, June 23, 2017