The International Maritime Organization approved the accession of Turkmenistan to the «International Convention on Civil Liability for Damage from Bunker Fuel Pollution» (BUNKER-2001). The Convention for Turkmenistan will come into force on the 23^rd of April, 2024, which will ensure that the country complies with international requirements for ship bunkering services.

The BUNKER 2001 Convention was adopted by the International Maritime Organization on the 23^rd of March, 2001 and entered into force on the 23^rd of November, 2008. The main purpose of the Convention is to adopt a uniform international standard and procedure for determining liability issues and providing compensation for bunker fuel pollution. According to the Convention, bunker fuel is the fuel used to operate ship engines.

Currently, more than 100 countries of the world are parties to the BUNKER-2001 convention, including the Caspian states - the Russian Federation, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Turkmenistan's accession to this Convention was another step in the country's adoption of international standards in shipping. At the end of January, Turkmenistan also announced its intention to join the Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic of the International Maritime Organization in order to modernize and simplify maritime navigation procedures in accordance with world standards.