BALLAST water treatment guidelines are to be reviewed by the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) with a view to delaying penalties for using installed treatment systems approved under the old system, says INTERTANKO.
The agreement by IMO comes after efforts by the shipowners group, to address problem with implementatiing the Ballast Water Management Convention, which seeks to stop invasive species from being moved from one part of the world to another in ballast water.
"The agreement to review and eventually revise the approval guidelines should mean that future BWMS [ballast water management systems] brought onto the market and approved by a more robust approval procedure will give owners greater confidence," INTERTANKO said.
"Once purchased and installed, a type approved BWMS will meet the ballast discharge standard,?said INTERTANKO.
But the shipowners said there is continued uncertainty about how the protection for those that have already installed such systems will actually be devised.
The ballast water convention is nearing implementation. The convention must be approved by countries representing 35 per cent of the world’s tonnage to do so.
Currently 43 countries, representing 32.5 per cent of global tonnage, have approved the convention, with Argentina and Italy close to ratifying it. Their participation would bring the tonnage level to 34.2 per cent.
WORLD SHIPPING
20 October 2014 - 20:51
Grandfathering older ballast water systems edges closer
BALLAST water treatment guidelines are to be reviewed by the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) with a view to delaying penalties for using installed treatment systems approved under the old system, says INTERTANKO.
WORLD SHIPPING
20 October 2014 - 20:51
Grandfathering older ballast water systems edges closer
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