Members will no doubt be following the progress of the Ballast Water Convention's ratification, which at present includes 40 states estimated to cover 30.25% of the world's tonnage. The trigger for the Convention will be the ratification by States representing 35% of the world's tonnage.
While there continue to be concerns from the industry with respect to the Convention and its implementation, owners and technical managers need to closely follow developments in order to ensure that they will be prepared for the Convention.
In the meantime, the United States is pursuing its own regulations with respect to Ballast Water Management, which require further specific attention from owners and technical managers.
In the attached article, republished with the kind permission of IHS Maritime, regulatory concerns are being explored, particular with respect to the risks of finding oneself in breach of a particular law or regulation. This is particularly a concern with respect to the situation in the waters of the United States.
The Association is grateful to IHS Maritime for permission to republish the following article by John Brewer, Principal Data Transformation Analyst, IHS Maritime.