SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 — BIMCO has published a Shipmaster’s Ballast Water Manual to provide clear, accessible information for seafarers dealing with the practicalities of daily ballast water management. The IMO Ballast Water
AUGUST 10, 2017 — Classification society ABS has published a report on Best Practices for Operation of Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS). The report is based on feedback provided by shipowners and
DECEMBER 15, 2016 — The Navy’s prestigious Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, has just commissioned a new Ballast Water Research Laboratory at its headquarters in West Bethesda, MD. Navy ships are
DECEMBER 2, 2016 — The U.S. Coast Guard today issued the first U.S. type-approval certificate for a ballast water management system. The Coast Guard Marine Safety Center issued the certificate to Optimarin
SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 — IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention has at last gained enough signatories to trigger its entry into force. Finland handed its instrument of acceptance to IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim
APRIL 13, 2016 — The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has made a number of submissions to IMO’s Marine Environment Committee (MEPC) ahead of its next meeting, which will be held in
JANUARY 20, 2016 — Although Damen’s InvaSave ballast water treatment system is designed for use in port, a unit is currently at sea in an 800 TEU container vessel for shipboard testing
JANUARY 19, 2016 — Back in November, it looked like IMO’s Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention looked like it had finally achieved the necessary ratifications to enter into force. Turns out it
Blank Rome says that vessel owners and operators may realize a cost savings by a delayed compliance date, which would allow time for the approval of U.S. Coast Guard type-approved ballast water treatment systems before other systems are installed.
The firm says that owners and/or operators should therefore review the compliance dates for their vessels and consider applying for an extension if they will face a hardship coming into compliance with the Coast Guard’s Ballast Water Management rule in light of the fact that there are no type-approved systems as yet or any practical alternatives.
Issued September 10, 2015, revised Policy Letter 13-01 gives updated guidance to vessel owners and operators on BWM methods and streamlines the application process for vessel owners and operators to obtain extended compliance dates for implementing BWM methods, principally the installation of treatment systems.
Notable updates, says Blank Rome, include removing the five-year limit on cumulative extensions, clarifying “batch” and supplemental applications, deleting the requirement to submit vessel Ballast Water Management Plans with extension requests, and allowing extensions to vessels that choose to install Alternate Management Systems (AMS) accepted by the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard has also provided template application forms and recommendations regarding applying for extensions.
Read the full Blank Rome Action Item HERE
Download the policy letter HERE
DECEMBER 15, 2014 — Six new bulk carriers, being built at the Namura and Onomichi shipyards in Japan, are to be fitted with a total of twelve Wärtsilä Aquarius UV ballast water
