The United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) Ballast Water Management Program for Alternative Management Systems (AMS) has been updated in light of the fact that to-date there are no USCG Type Approved ballast water treatment systems (BWTS).
Currently ship owners are permitted to apply to the USCG for an extended compliance date if they can prove that the ship is not able to comply with the ballast water management requirements despite all efforts having been exhausted.
A ship owner that has already installed a BWTS onboard may use an AMS to continue using them until the USCG approves the first system. However, some ship owners have been uncertain as to the date to which the AMS is permitted.
The USCG permits the use of an AMS for up to five years after the vessel is required to comply with the ballast water discharge standard. However, CG-OES Policy Letter 13-01, Revision 2, did not specify to which compliance date category the AMS provision applied, therefore, many ship owners were confused as to whether their AMS could be used for five years from their original compliance date or from their extended compliance date.
The USCG has revealed that the AMS can be used for five years from the extended compliance date if the AMS is installed prior to the expiration of the vessel’s extended compliance date.
According to the Marine Safety Information (MSIB) dated 13 July 2016, the USCG states that:
- A vessel with an installed AMS may request an extension and operate under the terms of that extension rather than using the AMS, or it may employ other ballast water management methods available under the regulation.
- A vessel operating under an extension to its compliance date may install an AMS and choose not to use it during the period of extension.
- If an AMS is installed prior to the expiry of a vessel’s extended compliance date, the vessel may use the AMS for no longer than five years beyond the vessel’s extended compliance date.
Ship owners using an AMS in US waters are also required to carry onboard a copy of the AMS acceptance letter issued by the USCG to the ballast water management system manufacturer and make this available for review when operating in US waters.
Ship Efficiency Review News
To contact the reporter responsible for this article, please email editor@fathom-mi.com
