Cabinet of Ministers convenes meeting on the environmental situation of the Caspian Sea and Baku Bay

A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Ali Asadov was held on Tuesday at the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the implementation of the “Comprehensive Action Plan for 2025–2030 on the Removal and Rehabilitation of Emergency and Unserviceable Hydraulic Structures of Various Purposes in the Caspian Sea, Including the Re-Closure and Isolation of Emergency and Decommissioned Wells, the Dismantling of Trestles, Piers, Platforms, as well as the Removal of Sunken and Semi-Submerged Vessels, and Other Rehabilitation Works,” as well as issues related to improving the ecological condition of Baku Bay.

The Prime Minister noted in his remarks that various hydraulic structures inherited from the Soviet era in the oil and gas fields of the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, as well as decommissioned or conserved oil wells, trestles, piers, and platforms, have become worn out and corroded and have entered an emergency condition due to hydrometeorological factors. As a result, serious problems have emerged that negatively affect the ecological condition of the sea. He also emphasized that prolonged anthropogenic impacts have led to deepening pollution in Baku Bay (the Seaside Boulevard), creating an urgent need to improve its environmental situation.

A presentation on the Comprehensive Action Plan was delivered by Elshan Hajizadeh, Head of the Industrial and Energy Department of the Cabinet of Ministers. Reports were also heard from Minister of Emergency Situations Kamaladdin Heydarov, First Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Rashad Ismayilov, President of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan Rovshan Najaf, and Chairman of the Board of “Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping” CJSC Afgan Jalilov.

In addition, reports and other statements were heard from Khanlar Agalarov, Chairman of the Board of the Seaside Boulevard Department, and Zaur Mikayilov, Chairman of the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency, regarding issues related to improving the ecological condition of Baku Bay.

Following discussions on both issues, relevant state bodies were instructed to conduct monitoring in the Caspian Sea and prepare an interactive map scheme, determine and prioritize the scope of works, study international best practices, and implement measures based on public-private partnership principles. Instructions were also given to dismantle emergency and unserviceable hydraulic structures and wells, remove sunken and semi-submerged vessels, and assess the impact of the measures taken on improving the coastal and marine environment.

Furthermore, in order to clean Baku Bay (the Seaside Boulevard) and improve its ecological condition, a task was set to prepare an Action Plan encompassing urgent measures, including pumping out seawater to remove exposed metal structures near the shoreline, preventing the discharge of wastewater into the basin, cleaning floating oil slicks and various waste from the water surface, as well as removing oil-contaminated soil in surrounding areas.