On the 3rd-4th of June of 2008 the IX International conference "Multimodal transportation of dangerous goods" dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the International Maritime Organization was successfully held in Saint-Petersburg. The conference took place in "Baltic Star" hotel. This hotel is a part of Konstantinovsky Palace complex, the President's Residence in Saint-Petersburg.

      Relevant reports were read by representatives of the international organizations: head of IMO Maritime Security Administration cargo department I. Rahim and the secretary of United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods O. Kervella. Deputy Director of Federal Transportation Inspection Service (Rostransnadzor) V.A. Popov, the Head of Marine and Inland Water Transport Security division of the State Policy for Marine and Inland Water Transport Department of Transport Ministry of Russia O.A. Zborovskiy, the Head of Administration for Special and Chemical Hazardous Production Facility and Objects Supervision of Russian Federal Service for Ecological, Technical and Atomic Supervision (Rostekhnadzor) N.M. Pechnikova, the Head of State Policy for Road Facilities, Motor Vehicles and Urban Passenger Transport, Geodesics and Cartography Department of Transport Ministry of Russia L.N. Sokolov, Vice-Chief of the Baltic Customs for customs control B.V. Borodin, Deputy Director of Control and Supervision for Special Transportation Department A.S. Budantsev took part in the conference. The representatives of transport procuratorate and heads of expert organizations were also took part in the conference. On the part of classification societies, the representative of Lloyds Register headquarters Jeff Rogers and the Head of the North-West branch of the Federal State Institution "Russian River Register" N.N. Fomin were invited. Great number of native and foreign business structures involved into the process of multimodal transportation presented on the conference.

      All the participants of the conference showed activity and strong interest in discussion of problems and questions broached in reports read during the round-table discussion. One of the main conclusions of the conference was statement of the fact that up to date Russia does not have adequate legal and regulatory framework, as well as there are no national standards, rules and guidelines harmonized with international ones. The representatives of transport companies dealing with handling of tank containers and applying tank containers for transportation of dangerous cargoes appealed to supervisors and to the management of International Dangerous Goods and Containers Association for rendering assistance in creation of conditions for safety and effective transportation of cargoes in tank containers and in elimination of administrative barriers, which contravene international practice and national legislation. Specifically, many participants of the conference paid their attention to unreasonable and illegal, from the point of view of representatives of business and of Federal Transportation Inspection Service (Rostransnadzor) demand of Russian Railways to receive permits for transportation of cargoes in tank containers at Federal State Institution "Russian Maritime Register of Shipping". The participants of the conference appealed to IDGCA for preparing a request to Russian Federal Service for Ecological, Technical and Atomic Supervision (Rostekhnadzor) for creation of simplified system of receiving relevant permits for applying of tank containers.

      The cultural program was very lively. The weather was fine, and the participants of the conference could enjoy night city sights during a short voyage on rivers and channels of Saint-Petersburg, as well as visit one of famous parks of Peterhof - Alexandria.

      On the whole, the conference was successful. It received positive responses from the representatives of supervisors, members of international organizations, Russian and foreign participants. Many representatives of business got an opportunity to conclude promising contracts and agreements.