In their latest alert to their clients, ECM Maritime Services, LLC reports on clarification received from the EPA relating to the requisite frequency of sampling and analysis of treated ballast water discharges from USCG type approved Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS) and Alternate Management systems (AMS)* onboard vessels subject to VGP requirements
In December 2020, the Club provided the below update on the California ballast water discharge regulations reporting that the California State Lands Commission (CSLC) had issued a notice of Approval of Amendment to Articles of the California Code of Regulations, these amendments will become effective on 1 January 2022.
The UK Club hosted yet another successful webinar discussing "Ballast Water Management Outlook", focusing on Ballast water management (BWM) technology, implementation, compliance monitoring, enforcement of the convention, and operational practicalities.
In this, the third and final episode addressing BWM, the topic of Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement of the Ballast Water Management Convention is examined with Dr Guillaume Drillet from SGS.
In the second episode of the UK Club ask an expert series focusing on ballast water the topic of Type Approval US Vs IMO, old G8 Vs BWM Code - Limitations of the Type Approval is examined with Dr Li Gang from SGS.
The UK P&I Club has teamed up with Blank Rome's Jeanne Grasso and Peacock Piper's David Tong, who discuss current environmental and compliance trends both on a Federal and State level for California.
Join us in our three-part "Ask an Expert" series, where Ansuman Ghosh, Director of Risk Assessment of UK Club discusses the key issues and challenges associated with ballast water management (BWM) and listens to the experiences from the experts at SGS, the world's leading testing, inspection and certification company.
The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency has released a set of Ballast Water Management FAQs Updated in October 2020, which we are sharing for the members and the wider shipping community
This Client Alert adds to the Club's recent update reporting on EPA's announcement of 6 October that it was proposing vessel discharge standards under VIDA
On 6 October 2020, EPA issued a news release (click here) stating that it is proposing standards to reduce the environmental impact of discharges, such as ballast water, that are incidental to the normal operation of commercial vessels
The UK Club has received the attached circular from our local correspondents, Huatai Insurance Agency & Consultant Service Ltd, regarding the prohibition of discharging waste water generated by open-loop exhaust gas cleaning systems (Scrubbers) within Emission Control Areas in China.
Reference is made to the most recent update from the Club, giving notification of the new tariff for pollution fines in Turkish waters. Particular attention should be given to the fact that these administrative fines imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, pursuant to the Turkish Environmental Code (EC), are drastically increased in comparison to previous tariffs.
Vessels calling in the United States can still use exchanges to treat ballast water prior to their respective deadlines for installing a USCG type-approved treatment system. However, failure to properly conduct exchanges can lead to substantial penalties, especially in California.
We have been seeing an increase in cases where vessels calling at California ports are issued deficiencies by inspectors from the State Lands Commission.
