A significant environmental and legal conflict is unfolding in Russia’s Far East, as the state-owned seaport authority, Rosmorport, has initiated legal action against the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The lawsuit, filed with the Arbitration Court of Kamchatka Krai, addresses the continuous and illegal discharge of untreated wastewater directly into Avacha Bay, a strategically vital inlet of the Pacific Ocean.
The core of the dispute centers on a segment of the city’s stormwater drainage system, which, according to court documents, has remained ownerless and unmanaged since its construction was completed in 2018. Rosmorport alleges that this neglect allows untreated runoff from the city’s Vokzalnaya Square area to flow through the commercial seaport’s territory and discharge into the bay via Pier No. 5 without any form of purification.
These claims are substantiated by an official inspection conducted by Rosprirodnadzor, Russia’s federal environmental watchdog, in June 2023. The agency’s tests confirmed that water samples taken at the discharge point contained pollutant levels far exceeding legal limits. In its lawsuit, Rosmorport is demanding that the court compel the city administration to take responsibility by constructing and installing proper treatment facilities and securing the necessary environmental permits.
The state enterprise is also seeking a court-imposed financial penalty to be levied against the city for any failure to comply with the ruling. The case highlights critical issues of infrastructure mismanagement and environmental accountability in a region that is not only ecologically sensitive but also hosts a major naval base for Russia’s Pacific Fleet. A preliminary court hearing on the matter has been scheduled for September 2, 2025.