Australia has ratified the International Maritime Organization’s ballast water management convention.
Hon Barnaby Joyce MP Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, made the announcement on the morning of June 7. The protocol will be signed by Australia’s High Commissioner to Britain, Alexander Downer, in London today.
The Australian shipping industry has applauded the decision to ratify the convention, despite the hefty costs to install and operate, according to Teresa Lloyd, CEO of Marine Industry Australia Limited (MIAL). Lloyd says it costs approximately $1 to $5 million dollars per ship to do so in Australia.
The number of contracting parties to the BWM convention now stands at 56.
The convention is due to enter into force on September 8, 2017. However, as Intertanko recently reported, there are concerns regarding the robustness of the G8 Guidelines in providing reliable equipment, the availability of ballast water management systems and the procedures of port state control.
As a result of these concerns, a number of administrations have co-sponsored a proposal to the IMO that could delay the start date for installing BWTS on current vessels until 2019.
Brazil, India, the Cook Islands, Norway, the UK, and Liberia made the joint proposal to MEPC 70 last year, which is to be discussed at this year’s upcoming MEPC 71 meeting in July. The countries proposed an amendment to Regulation B-3 of the convention to postpone the start date of the phasing-in programme for installing approved BWTS on existing ships by two years, according to the North P&I Club.
For new vessels, those constructed on or after September 8, 2017, the start date would not change.
MEPC 71 will be held from July 3-7 at the IMO headquarters in London.
Fathom-News
editor@fathom-mi.com
