This week, Mykolayiv mass-media has received anonymous information that NIBULON supposedly polluted Koblevo beach area with mazut by transshipping grain in the roads not far from Ochakiv.
An unknown substance looking like mazut was really discharged on Koblevo beach area. On April 23, last Saturday, Ecotusovka participants cleaning the beach territory found out black grease stains near Chernomorets and Avtomobilist recreation centers. This is the only true fact corresponding to reality. Being worried about its reputation and the environment, the very NIBULON initiated investigation and organized an excursion to the anchorage of Trutaev sandbank, where the company transships grain on large-capacity vessels.
Journalists, representatives from Koblevo and Rybakivka village councils, owners of recreation facilities in Koblevo, an ecologist of Mykolayiv Sea Port, and a head of the environmental department at Mykolayiv Regional State Administration were invited to attend this research expedition. Together they had to find out the guilty party.  
First of all, we have found out that NIBULON has two permits to transship grain at two points in the roads: in winter – at the Adzhiyask Cape which is 3 km away from the shore, and in summer – on Trutaev sandbank which is 5.5 km away from the shore. Thus, during holiday season, NIBULON transships its vessels at a maximum distance from the health-resort area. When choosing anchorages to transship grain in the roads, NIBULON’s specialists took into account everything –wind rose, depths, distance from the shore, and transshipment technique, says Alla Izmesteva, a head of NIBULON’s environmental protection department. Then, the project underwent an examination by the State Environmental Inspection of North-West Region of the Black Sea, and then NIBULON obtained a permit to transship grain from vessel to vessel.
– You can see transshipment in the roads. NIBULON has all the required permits. We are at the anchorage of Trutaev sandbank; distance from the shore is 5.5 km. Grain transshipment does not impact negatively on the environment. In case of contingency, the tug has slick bars, but NIBULON did not have any emergency situations.
While operating in the roads, the vessel to be loaded goes into anchor, and all discharge systems are sealed. The port’s captain makes an act. These actions are registered in a ship’s log which registries are impossible to falsify. It means that all unrecorded fuel emissions are excluded. Suppositions that NIBULON’s cargo fleet polluted the water as well as the shore are absolutely unreal. Firstly, NIBULON’s fleet is modern and equipped with up-to-date machinery; secondly, it does not run on heavy fuel (mazut). NIBULON’s vessels run on Euro-5 diesel-fuel meeting European standards completely. NIBULON does not fuel vessels in the roads but in a special place on the berth at its transshipment terminal. The fueling is coordinated and supervised by a representative from the State Environmental Inspection of North-West Region of the Black Sea.
The director at NIBULON’s shipping company, Yevgen Ignatenko said,
“NIBULON’s fleet numbers 24 barges with deadweight of 4 thousand tons, 3 barges with deadweight of 3 thousand tons and 4 barges with deadweight of 1 thousand tons. In addition, the company has 6 tugs, a floating crane constructed in Romania, and a floating crane constructed at NIBULON shipbuilding and repair yard. Now we see NIBULON complete the loading of Panamax vessel (deadweight – 55 thousand tons) with fodder wheat. The vessel was partly loaded on the berth at NIBULON’s transshipment terminal in Mykolayiv, and 16 thousand tons are loaded here, in the outer roads, at 360th anchorage. The water is clean; the fleet is clean. The tugs run on light fuel. They are all new. This is a one-year-old tug; some tugs are two years old. We regularly maintain vessels. Our crew is highly qualified and is aware of all innovations of international conventions, and others.
Both journalists and other representatives from Koblevo and Rybakivka village councils were convinced of ideal condition of NIBULON’s vessels. Together they tried to find out who was responsible for Koblevo beach area pollution.
It is well-known that NIBULON transships only one type of cargoes – grain, and only grain dust can be emitted into the atmosphere. In case some grain accidently spills overboard, the sea will not suffer. But we do not know what cargoes other economic entities transport by sea.
Every day 20-25 large-capacity vessels are bound for Mykolayiv and Kherson along the ship’s canal, on the area from Koblevo to Ochakiv. The environmental department at Mykolayiv Regional State Administration put an inquiry to the State Environmental Inspection of North-West Region of the Black Sea, asking to inform about cargoes transshipped in the roads. But it has not received any answer until now. It is possible that cargoes transshipped are not as safe as grain. The inhabitants of coastal villages are worried about this issue.
NIBULON’s tugs have slick bars. If the crew notices debris accumulation brought from somewhere, the tug itself removes it.
NIBULON’s ecologists together with the management of NIBULON’s shipping company studied all data and concluded that neither theoretically nor practically NIBULON polluted the water by transshipping grain in the roads. Representatives of local communities agree with them.
— NIBULON demonstrated the entire process of grain transshipment. The company does not pollute the water”, summarized Andriy Zveryanskyy, a beautification specialist from Koblevo Village Council.
Who pollutes the shore? It seems nobody is interested in this problem except NIBULON. The specialists from the State Environmental Inspection of North-West Region of the Black Sea did nothing to understand the full picture. There are different theories. For example, Yuzhny Port anchorage with 4 large-capacity vessels running on heavy fuel is close to Koblevo beaches.
Speaking about fakes, it is necessary to search for those who benefit from it. The owners of recreation facilities suppose that Odesa competitors of Mykolayiv health resort could take advantage of this situation, struggling for vacationers unfairly.
There is another version. Lawlessness and corruption of environmental officials at sea ports were the reason for international scandals. Captains of foreign vessels in Mykolayiv Sea Port repeatedly protested against actions of employees from the State Environmental Inspection of North-West Region of the Black Sea. According to the new rules, the vessel environmental control is carried out only in case of visible floating particles discharged from a vessel, trails of oil and oil products or other pollutants. The environmental inspectors are prohibited to enter onboard a vessel in any other cases. This destroyed super-profit corruption schemes. Some officials cannot put up with it. That is why they do everything to return this old system that ensures comfortable life. But it is another topic to be discussed by Inshe TV next time.
Instead of afterword. While reading news published by some mass-media, it seems that NIBULON is responsible for destroyed roads and polluted sea. Otherwise, how else one can consider unreasonable accusations in NIBULON’s regard, which anonymous authors refuse noticing obvious facts.  Please note that not less than twenty companies conduct agribusiness in Mykolayiv; hundreds of thousands of trucks transport different cargoes by roads daily. Why is NIBULON guilty of all the troubles in Mykolayiv region? Another attempt to discredit the company failed. NIBULON is an open and transparent company. It is always ready to demonstrate the operation of its facilities.
Today NIBULON is the only company which activity is directed to reduce traffic loading on highways and to transport cargoes by water.
Those who want to see it for themselves can visit NIBULON’s construction site near Voznesensk, where the company constructs its modern transshipment terminal and dredges the Southern Bug at the same time. The company will continue dredging after spawning. In order to revive cargo transportation by river, NIBULON shipbuilding and repair yard in Mykolayiv will construct six non-self-propelled vessels this year. These vessels are intended to transport grain and other cargoes along the Southern Bug. This will enable to remove tens of thousands of trucks from highways.
Thus, despite groundless attacks of ill-wishers, NIBULON is considered to be a reliable company creating well-paid workplaces. The company allocates funds to the local budgets, improves environmental conditions and living standards in the city, village, region, and Ukraine.