Japan P&I Club presents information regarding the precautions in discharging ballast water at the Conakry port, Guinea.
According to the Club, Guinea has ratified the MARPOL Convention, and in particular at the Conakry port, the local regulations The Police, Security and General Operating Regulations of the Port of Conakry require that the discharge of harmful substances into the water is prohibited, that ballasting operations are allowed subject to verification by the harbor master’s office or the competent authorities, and that in case of violation fines equivalent to 150% of the vessel’s disbursement account will be imposed.
In the past, there have been cases reported that ballast and de-ballast operation without permissions in the Conakry port area resulted in the imposition of fines by the authorities for violating regulation, The Police, Security and General Operating Regulations of the Port of Conakry.
The Club advises the following:
- All de-ballasting operation even ballast water loaded in Guinean territorial water may be required to get a permission in accordance with such regulation
- Once imposed, the fine can easily reach to very high amount
- It can also affect Club Cover if appropriate measures for preventing fines are not taken
To avoid any fines from the local authorities, it is also advised to refrain from discharging any ballast water in Guinean territorial waters regardless of the tonnage of the vessels, and regardless of the ballast water treatment system used.
