ICS: IMO Member States Must Finalise G8 Type Approval Guidelines

ICS says IMO member states must finalise G8 type approval guidelines ahead of the BWM Convention's implementation.

Following news that the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM Convention) is set to come into force in September 2017, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has renewed its call for IMO Member States to finalise the revision of the G8 Type Approval Guidelines for treatment systems at the 70th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 70).

"We must ensure that shipowners can have absolute confidence that the expensive equipment they will soon have to install will be effective in treating ballast water conditions normally encountered during worldwide operations and be regarded as fully compliant during Port State Control inspections," said Esben Poulsson, ICS Chairman.

"The fixing of a definite implementation date, after so many years of delay, will at least give shipowners some of the certainty needed to make important decisions about whether to refit the new mandatory treatment equipment or otherwise to start sending ships for early recycling."

As Ship & Bunker has reported, ICS has previously explained that the U.S., which is not a party to the IMO Convention, requires that all vessels discharging ballast water in U.S. waters use a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) approved treatment system, but notes that no systems have been approved yet.

ICS says that, as a result, U.S. regulations have either provided installation date extensions or allowed operators to install a USCG accepted Alternate Management System (AMS), but warns that an AMS will only be accepted for five years.

"Unfortunately, the entry into force of the new IMO regime will not resolve the extreme difficulties that still exist in the United States," said Poulsson Thursday, adding: "the impasse in the U.S. is a particular concern for operators that have installed ultra-violet systems."

ICS says it will be working with IMO Member States to urge the U.S. toward a pragmatic solution in an effort to avoid "chaos" when the BWM Convention comes into force next year.

Last year, Charles R. Weber Company, Inc. (CR Weaver) said that tanker rates could get a boost as tonnage is taken out of service for special surveys or dry docking ahead of the implementation of the BWM Convention.