Water Exchange

Effective Means Of Combating Invasive Aquatic Species Urged

Witnesses representing the shipping industry, ports, and an environmental organization met on May 15 to urge the development of mandatory federal ballast water management regulations and alternative management options to more effectively address the problem of aquatic invasive species in the United States. The joint hearing of the U.S. House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee and the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee focused on the implementation of the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 (NISA), which addresses aquatic invasive species and required the Transportation Secretary to issue voluntary guidelines to prevent the introduction of invasive species by vessels equipped with ballast water tanks. Ballast water is a leading pathway for nonindigenous aquatic species in the United States. “After Three Years Of Working Under The Voluntary Program, We Have A Very Poor Record Of Compliance” – Subcommittee Chairman Duncan “The Coast Guard issued the voluntary guidelines in 1999,” said U.S. Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), the Chairman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee. “Unfortunately, after three years of working under the voluntary program, we have a very poor record of compliance. “Reducing the introduction and spread of aquatic invasives is a difficult problem to solve. Ballast water exchange is not perfect, and it is not practical, or safe for all ships at all times.

IMO Adopts New Ballast Water Rules

A new international convention to prevent the potentially devastating effects of the spread of harmful aquatic organisms carried by ships' ballast water has been adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution from ships. The instrument was adopted at an international conference held from 9 to13 February 2004 at IMO's London

Port Awards Environmental Excellence Award

The Port of Los Angeles, along with the California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, presented today its first-ever Environmental Excellence Award to Evergreen America Corporation. The award recognizes the environmental stewardship of Port of Los Angeles customers. Port Chief Operating Officer Bruce Seaton presented the Environmental Excellence Award to Captain Hwang and Jason Hsu of Evergreen America.

Bill To Reauthorize Ballast Water Law

Senator Levin (D-MI) introduced the National Aquatic Invasive Species Act of 2005 (S. 770) to amend the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 to amend and improve that Act. The bill, which is 130 pages in length, includes some interesting provisions. For example, it would authorize ballast water exchange only through December 31, 2011. Thereafter, ships would have to utilize a technological approach that reduces the concentration of viable biological material in

Tanker Delivery - MV Eagle Sapporo

Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (MES) completed and delivered a 110,000 dwt type double hull crude oil tanker, the Eagle Sapporo (MES Hull No. 1696) at its Chiba Works to Maybaru Shipping & Trading Pte Ltd, Singapore on December 10, 2008. This is the 11th Aframax Tanker in this series which has the largest deadweight and the largest cargo tank capacity with 42 meter beam and an overall length 804 ft. Special Features:

Don't Throw it Over the Wall ...

Annex V of the MARPOL Convention aims to eliminate and reduce the amount of garbage being dumped into the sea from ships.  Amendments to Annex V were adopted by resolution MEPC.201(62), which entered into force on 1 January 2013. The revised Annex V prohibits the discharge of all garbage into the sea, except as provided otherwise.  For example, Annex V totally prohibits of the disposal of plastics anywhere into the sea

Ballast Convention Nears Completion

Last week the International Maritime Organization came a step closer in the completion of the long awaited international Convention on the control of Harmful Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water. Intertanko participated at the specially convened meeting of the Ballast Water Working Group where over 180 delegates representing member states and NGOs upheld the IMO's spirit of compromise in discussing and agreeing on some of the main principles of this difficult Convention.

USCG to Hold Meeting on Great Lakes Species Invasion

The Coast Guard will hold a public meeting on May 9 in Cleveland seeking public assistance in further preventing aquatic nonindigenous species from entering the Great Lakes from the ballast water discharged from oceangoing vessels. Specifically, the Coast Guard is exploring ways to manage the ballast water on vessels entering the Great Lakes that have so little water in their ballast tanks, they cannot pump it out and thus declare they are “No Ballast Onboard” vessels, or NOBOBs.

First Tanker Gets RINA Green Star

Italian classification society RINA has issued its Green Star environmental logo to the 35,000 dwt Shogun, in what is believed to be the first time a chemical/product tanker anywhere has achieved the voluntary Clean Air and Clean Sea standards which until now have been applied only to passenger ships. The Shogun, an IMO 11 chemical/products carrier, has just been delivered to Italian owner Mediterranea di Navigazione from Korea's Hyundai Mipo yard

LR Assists With Ballast Water Guidelines

Lloyd's Register (LR) is planning to award a series of operational notations to vessels demonstrating compliance with the IMO's guidelines on ballast water management. IMO Resolution A.868 (20) Guidelines for the control and management of ship's ballast water to minimize the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens has led to some countries requiring vessels to exchange or treat ballast water at sea, precedent to entering port, state or coastal waters