Canada published a bulletin explaining the requirements of section 24 of the Ballast Water Regulations (BWR), which addressees the way in which the master of a vessel that is bound for a port, offshore terminal or anchorage area in Canada must submit duly completed Ballast Water Reporting Form (BWRF).
What operators need to know
Shippers must submit a BWRF for all ballast tanks, regardless of their ballast tank conditions, and even they don’t plan to discharge ballast while in water under Canadian jurisdiction.
The BWRF and documents must be submitted as follow:
- If the duration of the segment of the voyage before entering waters under Canadian jurisdictions is less than 24 hours, as soon as practicable before entering waters under Canadian jurisdictions but no later than the time of departure from the last port of call.
- If the duration of the segment of the voyage before entering waters under Canadian jurisdictions is less than 96 hours but more than 24 hours, at least 24 hours before entering waters under Canadian jurisdictions; or
- At least 96 hours before entering waters under Canadian jurisdictions.
A duly completed BWRF and required documents must be submitted electronically via email to the appropriate address indicated below and must include the vessel name, IMO vessel number, name of the first port of call and estimated date/time of arrival in the subject line. The submission must include:
- Copy of all pages of the International Ballast Water Management Certificate, or an equivalent document (as per section 23 of the Regulations);
- Copy of all pages of the International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate or its interim and supplements;
- Other relevant documents/certificates as it might be requested by TCMSS.
Failure to Comply
It is the responsibility of the master of the vessel to ensure that all BWRF and required documents provided to TCMSS are complete and accurate.
Masters of vessels subject to the Regulations failing to submit, or submitting incomplete or inaccurate BWRF and documents, risk subjecting their vessel to administrative and control actions such as, but not limited to administrative monetary penalties, inspection, detention, redirection, or expulsion from Canadian waters, in addition the master may be fined under the administrate monetary penalty regime.
EXPLORE MORE AT TRANSPORT CANADA’S BULLETIN
