Oceanic solution: Patrushev spoke about the structure of the new Marine Center

The key infrastructure of Russia's future Maritime Center will be located in St. Petersburg, Presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev said at a meeting of the Maritime Board. According to him, the organization will serve as a "one-stop shop" for the industry and coordinate the work of relevant organizations. The center is proposed to be created in the form of a non-profit organization, the Maritime Board explained to "Izvestia". Experts believe that the proposed structure of the center will make it possible to complete the full cycle of development of marine technologies and strengthen the position of the Russian Federation in the development of the World Ocean.

What will be the structure of the center

In June, Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the President of Russia and Chairman of the Maritime Board, called for the establishment of a central link in the unified system of industry activities — the Marine Center. At the board meeting on September 29, he spoke in detail about the work being done to create it. According to Patrushev, the key supporting infrastructure of the center will be located in St. Petersburg. However, in the future it should be distributed throughout Russia.

"The Marine Center will actually act as an integrator, acting as a "one—stop shop" and ensuring the coordinated work of design, engineering, scientific and educational organizations, and industrial enterprises," Nikolai Patrushev explained.

Several important clusters will be created in the structure of the new organization. For example, a scientific and technological core that will ensure the concentration and cooperation of scientific and technological competencies. A marine industrial cluster, testing and technological ranges, a digital, service and scientific and educational core are also provided, said Head Patrushev.

The center is proposed to be created in the form of a non-profit organization as a socially useful foundation, the Maritime Board explained to "Izvestia". Ministries and departments will form a state technology order for the new structure, act as supervisors of industry tracks, and provide support for the implementation of results in real production. To implement the proposed organizational and legal model, it is necessary to adopt a federal law.

The Government plays an important role in the organization of the Maritime Center. First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov addressed the meeting. He said that the National Shipbuilding Research Center named after Academician Krylova will be responsible for the expertise of key technical solutions and projects for the construction of ships, vessels and other marine equipment. SIC "Kurchatov Institute" — for the formation of a scientific and technological reserve for dual-use in critical areas. And the proposed educational campus will combine research with personnel training, Manturov explained.

— It is especially important for us to combine the work of the Marine Center with plans for the renewal of the civil fleet and industrial capabilities. This will allow us to determine in advance the need for new technologies and equipment, plan capacity utilization and development," the First Deputy Prime Minister said.

Pavel Anisimov, Deputy Director of the Institute of International Relations and Political Sciences at RSUH, believes that the proposed structure of the new Marine Center will allow completing the full cycle of development of specialized technologies: from scientific ideas and engineering development to testing, mass production and implementation in the navy, shipbuilding, port infrastructure, the Arctic and marine resource extraction.

Why does Russia need a Marine Center

The creation of the Maritime Center is associated with new challenges facing Russia. Western powers are creating obstacles to free navigation — since the beginning of the year, several vessels have been detained for allegedly acting in the interests of Russia. For example, at the end of August, the military of the European mission IRINI in the Mediterranean Sea landed on the tanker MV Sun to check its flag.

Moscow has switched to escorting merchant ships with military vessels. For example, in the spring, the British press reported that the "Admiral Grigorovich" missile frigate escorted two oil tankers during their passage through the English Channel. Vladimir Putin said earlier that Russia would respond in kind to attempts to seize merchant ships, and in any waters.

However, this is not only about hindering free trade, but also about the technological race. A new model of the maritime economy is being formed, in which unmanned navigation, robotic complexes, artificial intelligence, big data analysis, specialized microelectronics and innovative marine power plants are beginning to play a decisive role.

However, the insufficient level of technological independence in the field of marine activities, the use of foreign components and technologies create risks of destructive impact on critical components of the marine potential. The situation is also complicated by the insufficient level of coordination of the use of research and production capacities, their weak interconnection with personnel training, Nikolai Patrushev warned.

"Under the current conditions, a transition to new principles for the implementation of national maritime policy and the creation of an integrated system for the development of marine technologies and infrastructural development of the country, taking into account its spatial characteristics, is required," the head of the board explained.

The new center will be extremely relevant for solving the military-political issues that Russia is currently facing, political analyst Denis Denisov told "Izvestia". The Center is necessary as a tool for the practical implementation of the goals and objectives of the national maritime policy. It should ensure the synchronization of government tasks.

The establishment of the center will become a new stage in the development of Russia's maritime policy. The implementation of ambitious plans will improve the quality of communication between science, business and the state to protect the interests of the Russian Federation at sea. However, this requires a high level of departmental coordination, clear goals, and complex legislative work.