American Club e-learning module deals with VGP compliance

May 22, 2012—The American P&I Club has released a new e-learning module, Vessel General Permit (VGP), to enable members to comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s discharge requirements for all vessels trading to the U.S.

The 2008 VGP concerns discharges which are incidental to the normal operation of vessels engaged in transportation. It includes general effluent limits applicable to all discharges; general effluent limits applicable to 26 specific discharge streams; narrative water-quality based effluent limits; inspection, monitoring, record-keeping and reporting requirements; and additional requirements applicable to certain vessel types.

The current requirements of the 2008 VGP are valid until December 18, 2013. The EPA is currently considering comments on two proposed VGPs, and intends to finalize the draft VGP and draft Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP) by November this year, thus allowing time for an orderly phase-in of the new requirements from December 19, 2013.

All shipowner-members of the American Club have access to all the club’s e-learning training programs via the club’swebsite. Other modules available to members are:

• Stranger on the Bridge (Bridge resource management with the pilot on board)
• Clean Seas: Complying with MARPOL 73/78
• The Case of the Silent Assassin (Dangers associated with entry into enclosed shipboard spaces).

All the club modules are developed in association with and produced by IDESS IT.