IMO MEPC 70 meeting concluded last week with significant decisions regarding global sulphur cap, carbon emissions and BWM treaty which will enter into force on September 8th, 2017. Regarding the implementation of the BWMC, the Committee adopted ‘revised Guidelines for approval of ballast water management systems (G8)’.
The revision to the guidelines updates the approval procedures for ballast water management systems (BWMS), including more robust test and performance specifications as well as more detailed requirements for type approval reporting and control and monitoring equipment, among others.
The type approval process was expanded, with detailed requirements for land-based, shipboard, and other tests set out in an annex. A ballast water management system which in every respect fulfils the requirements of the Guidelines may be approved by the Administration for fitting on board ships. The approval should take the form of a Type Approval Certificate for BWMS, specifying the main particulars of the BWMS and any limiting operating conditions.
The MEPC recommended application of the revised Guidelines (G8) as soon as possible and agreed that BWMS installed on ships on or after 28 October 2020 should be approved taking into account the revised guidelines. Systems installed prior to that date could be approved using the existing guidelines or the revised guidelines.
It was also agreed that the approval process should be made mandatory and the MEPC instructed the IMO Secretariat to prepare the Code for approval of ballast water management systems as well as draft amendments to the BWM Convention making the Code mandatory, for circulation with a view to adoption following entry into force of the Convention.
The MEPC also further discussed the agreed roadmap for implementation of the BWM Convention and agreed to instruct a correspondence group to develop a structured plan for data gathering and analysis of experience gained with the implementation of the BWM Convention.
Submissions were invited to MEPC 71 in relation to developing guidance on contingency measures under the BWM Convention and amendments to the Guidelines for risk assessment under regulation A-4 of the BWM Convention (G7) to incorporate the “same risk area” concept, which the Committee agreed may already be applied to grant exemptions under the Convention.
Further work on the implementation of the Convention will also take place at the next session of the Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 4), in January 2017, including the review of guidance on sampling and analysis and the completion of the “Ballast Water Management – How to do it” manual.
With regards to the dates of implementation of the BWM Convention, the MEPC recalled that proposed draft amendments to regulation B-3 of the Convention relating to the time scale for implementation of its requirements had been previously approved at the last session of the Committee (MEPC 69) for circulation upon entry into force of the Convention, with a view to subsequent adoption. The draft amendments would provide for compliance with regulation D-2 (Ballast water performance standard) of the Convention by a ship’s first renewal survey following entry into force.
A proposal for alternative draft amendments which would allow for compliance by the second renewal survey in certain circumstances was put forward. It was agreed that the alternative proposal would be debated at the next Committee session (MEPC 71) in mid-2017.
The Committee granted Final Approval to one BWMS that makes use of active substances and Basic Approval to one system. The Committee noted that the total number of type-approved BWMS stands now at 69.
Further details regarding IMO MEPC 70 Outcome may be found by clicking here
Source: IMO
