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17 Oct 2022

Ballast Water Management is Reducing the Flow of Invasive Species into the Great Lakes

© madscinbca / Adobe Stock

Freshwater ecosystems are threatened by a host of environmental stressors from human activities. Among the most insidious and impactful of these is invasion by non-native species.Over the past two centuries, established populations of nearly 190 non-native species of invertebrates, fishes, plants and microbes have been discovered in the Great Lakes basin. They were introduced through several sources and pathways including canals, pet release, bait bucket dumping, aquaculture escapes


17 May 2021

TECH FILE: The Scrubber Uptake - Economics & Technologies

Should the economics driving scrubber uptake appear compelling for an individual owner, they must first consider, for instance, space availability and any structural changes and reinforcements that may be needed, said Olli Somerkallio, COO, Foreship. Image courtesy Foreship

Expectations are high that exhaust gas scrubber technology demand will soon be resurge. But what lessons have been learned from installations and which type will dominate?Installing scrubber systems on ships that were never envisaged to have them on board has brought well documented challenges for older tonnage, with accurate drawings and documents sometimes hard to source. Where class documentation is concerned, meanwhile, different societies can have subtly different requirements


26 Apr 2021

Expert Advice: New Ballast Water Guide

© Denys Yelmanov / Adobe Stock

If you and your crew are facing questions about ballast water management (BWM) and related regulatory deadlines, it would be worth your while to download a new (January 2021) “Ballast Water Management Systems User Guide,” an extensive, in-depth look at evaluating, selecting and installing a BWM system. The guide was published by MARAD and Glosten for the Ship Operations Cooperative Program (SOCP). It is geared primarily toward U.S.-flag operators in domestic and international trade.As most mariners know, BWM, overseen federally by U.S. EPA and the Coast Guard, includes a number of activities.

14 Oct 2019

Addressing Invasive Species in Ships’ Ballast Water

Photo courtesy of IMO

The BWM Convention amendments formalizing the implementation schedule for the D-2 standard are now in force. Amendments to an international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of potentially invasive species in ships' ballast water entered into force on October 13, 2019.Ships regularly take on sea water, in tanks, to ensure their stability. Known as ballast water, this can contain many aquatic species, including in microscopic or larval form. These can become invasive and harmful if the ballast water is released


28 Jun 2019

Ballast Water Update: Weighing the Advent of VIDA

Captain Sean T. Brady, Chief of the Coast Guard’s Office of Operating and Environmental Standards (OES)

The hard-fought passage of VIDA promises a simpler, more unified and logical set of environmental standards related to the discharge of myriad vessel streams. Industry wanted it, and now it is here. Will it deliver, and if so, when? That depends on who you talk to.As most commercial maritime operators know, US ballast water regulations made a sharp turn last December. That’s when President Trump signed the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018.That legislation contained Title IX – the “Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA)


26 Apr 2019

Ready for IMO 2020: Damen's Mobile BWTS

InvaSave 300 (Photo: Damen)

In less than five months, the IMO’s Ballast Water Convention will be extended to cover existing vessels as well as new builds. As of September 8, all will be required to comply by the time of their first IOPP certificate renewal following that date.To assist vessel owners in meeting their obligations under the convention while at the same time offering port and harbor authorities a value-added service that they can offer to their clients, Damen Green Solutions will be taking its InvaSave 300 mobile ballast water treatment system on tour to demonstrate its convenience


15 Oct 2018

USCG Posts Recap of Ballast Water Management & Technology Conference

Coast Guard staff present on various topics related to the ballast water program during September’s BWMTechNA in Florida. IMAGE CREDIT: USCG

Extensions, type approvals and next steps were all prominent on the agenda.September’s Ballast Water Management and Technology North America conference saw USCG staff from the Office of Operating and Environmental Standards and the Marine Safety Center giving conference attendees an update on various aspects of the Coast Guard’s ballast water program. Following is a recap of those presentations for our readers who were unable to attend:Ms. Regina Bergner and Mr. Matthew Reudelhuber with the Office of Operating and Environmental Standards, and Lt.

10 May 2018

APL Further Cuts CO2 Emissions

APL has announced a 50.7% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions per transported container per kilometer in 2017, compared to its base level in 2009. This achievement marks APL’s eighth consecutive year of improved environmental performance, as reported in the Business for Social Responsibility’s Clean Cargo Working Group (CCWG) Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) of APL’s 2017 carbon dioxide emission data. The CCWG EPA data was verified by Lloyd’s Register Group according to the CCWG verification protocol and principles of ISO14064-3:2006 standard. APL Global Head for Safety Security and Environment, Dennis Yee said, “We are proud to raise the bar in reducing the carbon footprint of our fleet operations once again.

06 Mar 2018

Emission Regulation Welcome, But Should be Wise: INTERCARGO

On the implementation of the 0.5% sulphur cap for ships’ bunkers from 2020, International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) is promoting the consideration of transitional issues such as the availability and safety aspects of compliant fuels, and incidents of non-availability of low sulphur bunkers at certain ports. INTERCARGO encourages the effective implementation of the “2020 Sulphur Cap” regulation yet with a pragmatic approach. A reasonable and measured enforcement of the Regulation during an initial transitional period would thus be welcome instead. INTERCARGOraises its concerns about the practical - technical and operational - challenges faced by shipowners in achieving compliance from 01 Jan 2020, given the bunkers’ supply landscape and widespread uncertainty.

20 Dec 2017

Damen’s BWM in Eight EU Ports

Ship owners are now able to treat their unmanaged ballast water or load cleaned ballast water in eight different Northern European ports using Damen’s unique IMO certified InvaSave ballast water management system. In a cooperation between Damen Green Solutions and Damen Shiprepair & Conversion (DSC), this ballast water reception/bunkering service will be available in Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brest, Dunkerque, Vlissingen, Den Helder, Stellendam and Harlingen. Damen’s InvaSave is the world’s first external ballast water treatment unit designed primarily to offer ship owners a port-based ballast water solution. With this cooperation, vessels coming into these eight ports will be able to take advantage of a one-stop-shop for their ballast water treatment requirements.

09 Nov 2017

ChartCo Introduces EnviroManager 5.4 At Europort

EnviroManager 5.4 (Photo: ChartCo)

ChartCo introduced version 5.4 of its EnviroManager. Already installed on over 500 vessels since its launch in early 2017, EnviroManager consolidates information  to assist vessels to comply with MARPOL regulations for discharges and emissions. EnviroManager includes the baseline information for each nation as required by  regulations. The display shows “distance from land” as measured from the official country baseline, as opposed to the shoreline which is identified on a navigational chart.

28 Aug 2017

MEPC 71: Ballast Water Management Update

© Sunsinger/Shutterstock.com

Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) 71 was a very busy week and ship owners can now benefit from having a firm view of the regulatory timeline for complying with the latest global require-ments for managing the ballast water from their vessels. Unfortunately, the timeline remains very crowded and for owners with ships trading to and from the U.S., compliance is more complicated. While some deadlines were eased to reflect the fact that many dates from the original BWM Convention had lapsed while consensus was being reached


29 Jun 2017

BWM Should Not Distort the Market: Intercargo

In view of the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee upcoming meeting (MEPC 71 during 3-7 July 2017), Intercargo re-iterates its welcoming the entry into force of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention in September. Aspiring to the Convention’s effective implementation, our Association will be making MEPC 71 Committee aware of the critical challenges faced by the bulk carrier segment of the industry. The world bulk carrier fleet is by far the largest single sector by deadweight tonnage and a significant proportion of it utilizes the highly energy efficient gravity discharge system for the topside ballast water tanks. Topside tanks are an integral part of bulk carriers.

30 May 2017

ABS Nautical Systems Simplifies MRV Compliance

ABS has launched ABS Nautical Systems NS Voyage Manager to simplify compliance reporting. The cloud-based, subscription application facilitates compliance with a range of environmental regulations, including the European Union (EU) Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) regulation for CO 2 emissions. “With EU MRV already in effect and additional regulations on the horizon, such as the International Maritime Organization’s Data Collection System requirement, operators need an easy way to manage the increasing volume of data required for reporting,” says ABS Chief Technology Officer and ABS Nautical Systems President Howard Fireman.

18 May 2017

OP/Ed: CVIDA Good for Environment & Economy

© Kenneth Keifer / Adobe Stock

I think it safe to say everyone agrees the discharge of ballast water has introduced non-native species to ports and harbors worldwide and more must be done to stop future invasions. Unfortunately, beyond that, there’s less agreement, much less. As a result, here in the United States we have two federal agencies, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), plus, at last count, 25 states regulating discharges incidental to the normal operation of vessels, 16 of which are specific to ballast water.

25 Nov 2016

Effler Appointed Business Manager, Alfa Laval PureBallast

Beginning December 2016, Kristina Effler will assist marine customers navigating ballast water treatment alternatives as the new Global Business Manager for Alfa Laval PureBallast. Effler assumes the role just as the global shipping industry prepares for the implementation of the IMO BWM Convention’s entry into force in September 2017. Effler brings 12 years of experience in various positions throughout the Alfa Laval organization. Most recently, she served as the Global Business Manager for the PureNOx system within the company’s Marine Division. In this capacity, she was responsible for the creation of Alfa Laval’s Water Treatment Exhaust Gas Emissions business area from scratch, overseeing the successful commercial development of the product.

02 Nov 2016

Ballast Water Management Systems: Let the Games Begin

Costly Critter: Pictured is the Bythotrephes longimanus, more commonly known as the Spiny Water Flea, a species native to N. Europe and accidentally introduced through ballast water into Lake Huron in 1984. Emerging Ballast Water Treatment System rules will potentially cost shipowners millions per ship.  (Photo Source: Michigan Sea Grant; Spiny Flea Information Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture)

With the accession by Finland to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (better known as the Ballast Water Management or BWM Convention), there are now sufficient ratifications for the Convention to enter into force. Entry into force will occur on 8 September 2017. It has been an agonizingly slow process for a convention that was adopted with such high hopes. Starting in the late 1970s as vessels became larger and faster


10 Aug 2016

Australia’s New Ballast Water Management Requirements

The Australian government has announced via the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that from June 16, 2016, new requirements for ships engaged in international voyages will be enacted under the auspices of the ‘Biosecurity Act 2015’. A section of the ‘Biosecurity Act 2015’ concerns ballast water from ships on international voyages and has been so drafted as to ensure the implementation of the IMO’s ‘Ballast Water Management Convention’ (BWM Convention). Consequently, from June 16, 2016 Australia will authorize the use of ballast water management systems which have been type approved via the IMO type approval process, as well as the currently accepted methods of ballast water management such as the ballast water exchange.

10 Jun 2016

[Op-Ed] Ballast Water Facts, Not Hype

Photo: American Great Lakes Ports Association

An Op-Ed issued by the Lake Carriers’ Association, American Great Lakes Ports Association and Great Lakes Maritime Task Force addresses the “exaggerations and inaccuracies” surrounding the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), and explains how the legislation will best protect the Great Lakes from aquatic nuisance species. Recently, several articles, editorials and letters have perpetuated exaggerations and inaccuracies about the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA). We believe the public deserves the rest of the story.

02 Jun 2016

INSIGHTS: Steve Candito, President, Foresea Consulting

Steven Candito is the Founder, President and CEO of Foresea, which provides advisory services including strategic planning, regulatory compliance and crisis management to the maritime and environmental communities. Previously, Candito was President and CEO of NRC. He has extensive experience with OPA 90 compliance issues with particular focus on vessel owner and insurance matters. Before that, Candito was an attorney with Haight Gardner Poor & Havens, specializing in maritime and environmental law. Candito has also served as a marine engineer aboard Exxon USA’s domestic tanker fleet. He is a graduate of Hofstra University School of Law and the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

23 May 2016

New Rules for Ballast Water Management in Australia

Since July 2001, all ships entering Australian ports or waters from overseas have been subject to Australia’s national ballast water management requirements. These are currently enforced under the Quarantine Act 1908, but from June 16, 2016, they will be enforced under the  Biosecurity Act 2015. This has been drafted to move Australian legislation towards consistency with the International Maritime Organization’s Ballast Water Management Convention (the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments 2004). At present, the Australian national requirements only list ballast water exchange as a valid ballast water management method and do not list ‘alternative ballast water management methods’ such as ballast water treatment systems.

20 Nov 2015

Hard Problems Demand Soft(ware) Solutions

ABB

Make no mistake, the commercial maritime industry will always revolve around heavy duty machinery and mega-machines designed to weather some of the toughest operating conditions on earth. But in recent years a proliferation of Software Solutions has evolved to help the machines operate more efficiently and cost effectively. MR editors report on latest developments in maritime specific Software Solutions. Kværner Verdal AS selected AVEVA Bocad Steel and AVEVA Bocad Offshore for use at its design and fabrication yard in Verdal


18 Feb 2015

Insights: Rear Admiral Paul F. Thomas

Rear Admiral Paul Thomas is the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy overseeing three Coast Guard directorates: Inspections and Compliance, Marine Transportation Systems, and Commercial Regulations and Standards. The programs include waterways management, navigation and boating safety, ports and facilities, merchant mariner credentialing, vessel documentation, marine casualty investigation, commercial vessel inspections, and port state control. A longtime specialist in Marine Safety


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