Tag: regulatory update

Three US Senators introduced the Arctic Shipping Federal Advisory Committee Act, aimed to address increasing shipping and maritime traffic by creating an advisory committee to study Arctic maritime transportation, including Arctic seaway development.

The US Coast Guard announced it is finalizing the policy harmonizing personal flotation device standards between the US and Canada by accepting a new standard for approval of PFDs. This will enable PFD manufacturers to meet a single North American standard instead of separate standards.

The IMO met in London this week, in order to discuss how the shipping industry can continue with its decarbonization plan. IMO agreed that a goal-setting approach is the best way to reduce carbon emissions in the short-term, while full details of the approach will be resolved next year.

The board of the European Investment Bank (EIB) agreed on November 14 a new energy lending policy and confirmed the EIB’s increased ambition in climate action and environmental sustainability. The new energy lending policy sets out five principles that will govern future EIB engagement in the energy sector.

In September 2019, shipping experts from around the world gathered at the IMO headquarters to discuss how to proceed on the topic of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), at the first Intersessional Working Group (WG) on MASS, IMarEST informed. 

Finland informed that the legislation on the delivery of waste from ships to ports will be updated. The aim is to improve the treatment and reception of waste in ports, which will reduce the generation of marine litter and consequently the discharge of plastic into the seas.

In this article, Charles Anderson, Senior Vice President, Head of Skuld New York, provides a brief guide to US Ballast Water Regulations, the Vessel General Permit and the 2018 Commercial Vessel Incidental Discharge Act.

Last week, the European Political Strategy Centre (EPSC) published a strategic note for Clean Transport at Sea, describing the course for European Leadership, including the confirmation of the European Commission's President, Ursula von der Leyen’s ambition to add maritime transport into the EU’s Emission Trading System.

1st January of 2020 marks the beginning for many regulatory updates for shipping. One of them is the new IMO requirements for the maintenance, examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats; the following article outlines key changes to assist operators in effective compliance with new requirements.

The Court of Justice of the European Union (the CJEU) confirmed that waste from ships is not subject to the requirements of EU law on transfer of waste. The legal case arose from the fire on board the MSC Flaminia in 2012.