The California State Lands Commission (SLC) has issued a letter to shipping agents and interested parties regarding ballast water management (BWM) and hull husbandry requirements.
This letter addresses the following issues:
1) Ballast Water Treatment Technology Annual Reporting Form;
2) Ballast Water Treatment Supplemental Reporting Form;
3) Hull Husbandry Reporting Form;
4) Changes to Ballast Water Reporting Form submission requirements; and
5) Delayed Implementation of California’s Ballast Water Performance Standards.
To ensure compliance with reporting requirements under the Marine Invasive Species Act
(Public Resources Code section 71200 et seq.), please:
- Supply the Ballast Water Treatment Technology Annual Reporting Form, Ballast
Water Treatment Supplemental Reporting Form and the Hull Husbandry Reporting
Form to all vessel masters, owners, operators, or persons in charge; - Inform vessel masters, owners, operators, or persons in charge of the submission
requirements; - Encourage submission of annual forms while a vessel is in California; and
- Remind clients that failure to comply with the form submission requirements may
result in an administrative civil penalty. Penalties may be applied to the master,
owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of the vessel.
Ballast Water Treatment Technology Annual Reporting Form
This form must be submitted once per calendar year to the Commission in written or
electronic format if a vessel:
- Has a ballast water treatment system installed on board; and
- Has or will discharge treated ballast water in California.
Ballast Water Treatment Supplemental Reporting Form
Any vessel that discharges treated ballast water in California must submit this form in
written or electronic format upon departure from a California port or place in addition to the
Ballast Water Reporting Form.
Hull Husbandry Reporting Form
Vessels that visit a California port are required to submit this form once per calendar year in
written or electronic format to the Commission
Change to Ballast Water Reporting Form submission requirements
In 2015, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill (AB) 1312. This bill changed the
requirement for submitting the Ballast Water Reporting Form from “upon departure” to “24
hours in advance of arrival” at a California port. If a vessel’s voyage is less than 24 hours,
then the form shall be submitted upon departure from the last port of call prior to arrival.
Delayed Implementation of California’s Ballast Water Performance Standards
AB 1312 also delayed the implementation of both the California interim and final ballast
water discharge performance standards. The new implementation schedule for the interim
standards is as follows:
- Newly built vessels – First arrival on or after January 1, 2020;
- Existing vessels – First dry docking on or after January 1, 2020;
The implementation date for the final performance standards has been delayed until
January 1, 2030
Source : California SLC
