Azerbaijan Reviews 2025–2030 Action Plan to Rehabilitate Caspian Sea Infrastructure and Improve Baku Bay Ecology
Baku, The Gulf Observer: A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Ali Asadov was held on Tuesday at the Cabinet of Ministers to review the implementation of the Comprehensive Action Plan for 2025–2030 aimed at removing and rehabilitating emergency and unserviceable hydraulic structures in the Caspian Sea, as well as improving the ecological condition of Baku Bay.
The meeting focused on measures envisaged under the Action Plan, which includes the re-closure and isolation of emergency and decommissioned wells, dismantling of trestles, piers, and platforms, removal of sunken and semi-submerged vessels, and the execution of other rehabilitation works in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Asadov noted that numerous hydraulic structures inherited from the Soviet era in offshore oil and gas fields—along with decommissioned or conserved oil wells, trestles, piers, and platforms—have become severely worn and corroded due to hydrometeorological factors. He emphasized that many of these facilities are now in an emergency condition, posing serious risks to the marine environment. The Prime Minister also underlined that prolonged anthropogenic impacts have led to intensified pollution in Baku Bay, particularly along the Seaside Boulevard, creating an urgent need for comprehensive environmental improvement measures.
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 presented by 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 (SOCAR) Rovshan Najaf, and Chairman of the Board of Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping CJSC Afgan Jalilov.
Additionally, Khanlar Agalarov, Chairman of the Board of the Seaside Boulevard Department, and Zaur Mikayilov, Chairman of the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency, briefed the meeting on measures related to improving the ecological condition of Baku Bay.
Following discussions, relevant state bodies were instructed to conduct comprehensive monitoring in the Caspian Sea and develop an interactive mapping scheme, determine and prioritize the scope of works, study international best practices, and implement measures based on public-private partnership principles. Instructions were also issued to dismantle emergency and unserviceable hydraulic structures and wells, remove sunken and semi-submerged vessels, and assess the environmental impact of the measures undertaken on coastal and marine ecosystems.
Furthermore, to ensure the cleaning of Baku Bay and the improvement of its ecological condition, the meeting tasked responsible institutions with preparing a dedicated Action Plan encompassing urgent measures. These include pumping out seawater to remove exposed metal structures near the shoreline, preventing wastewater discharge into the basin, cleaning floating oil slicks and other waste from the water surface, and removing oil-contaminated soil in adjacent areas.
