The UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency have issued a set of FAQs relating to the IMO's BWMC 2004 which entered into force on 8 September 2017.
The UK Club have received the following update from Dias Marine Consulting, regarding new aspects of ballast problems in Ukrainian ports.
Transport Canada has issued Ship Safety Bulletin 07/2018, announcing important updates to the Canadian Ballast Water Reporting Form
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) recently issued Policy Letter 18-02 providing guidelines for evaluating potential courses of action when a vessel bound for a U.S. port has an inoperable ballast water management/treatment system (BWMS/BWTS).
Sea Pollution Fines 2018 - Turkey
04/01/2018
The UK P&I Club have received the following circular from Omur Marine, regarding updated sea pollution fines in Turkey for 2018.
USCG - BWMSs are not 'plug and play'
06/12/2017
The US Coast Guard issued a bulletin advising that the installation and operation of ballast water management systems (BWMSs) on ships will require work specific to each vessel and its overall situation. Owners and operators should not expect that 'plug and play' will be appropriate.
The introduction of invasive aquatic species (IAS) associated with global shipping has been identified as a significant threat to the world's oceans and coastal ecosystems. Research suggests that 70-80% of IAS introductions occur through biofouling, and new areas are constantly being invaded.
The BWM Convention aimed at stopping the spread of potentially invasive aquatic species in ships' ballast water entered into force on 8 September 2017.
Reference is made to Circulars 1/17 and 6/17 concerning developments with respect to IMO's International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship's Ballast Water and Sediments "The BWM Convention" as well as the status of the US Ballast Water Management (BWM) Regulations.
International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 and US Ballast Water Management (BWM) Regulations
The USCG Marine Safety Centre (MSC) has issued a Type Approval Certificate to Sunrui Marine Environment Engineering Co. Ltd for its Filtration/ Electrolysis ballast water treatment system. This brings the total number of systems approved by the USCG to date to four. Two further systems are currently under review.
Following their last circular, the Club's correspondents Pandi Liquidadores S.R.L have provided an update on ballast water treatment in Argentina.
California Ballast Water Regulation Changes
04/05/2017
New Penalties for Ballast Water Violations, effective from 1st July 2017.
Please find attached information from the Clubs correspondents regarding new provisions on ballast chlorinating
The US Coast Guard has issued a Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) updating their enforcement policy under the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Extension Program.
The Ballast Water Management Convention 2004 will enter into force on 8 September 2017. The International Group has prepared an update and guidance on compliance with this Convention and with US BWM Regulations. Further updates and guidance will be provided as and when necessary.
ECM Client Alert 25-2016: USCG Issues Type Approval to 2 More Ballast Water Treatment Systems
05/01/2017
On 23 December, 2016, the US Coast Guard Marine Safety Center issued the second U.S. Coast Guard Ballast Water Management System Type Approval Certificate.
On 2 December, the USCG issued the first USCG Ballast Water Management System Type Approval Certificate to Norwegian manufacturer, Optimarin AS, the attached ECM Maritime Services Client alert 24-2016 reports.
On 4th October, 2016, the US Coast Guard issued a notice on its Coast Guard Maritime Commons Blog in which it provided a recap of a presentation delivered by Lt. Cmdr. Jason Kling, of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Center, at the 2016 BWMTech Conference in Miami 26th-28th September.