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. This process is adhered to in accordance with a ship's ballast water management plan (BWMP). Specific countries have already begun to declare their own requirements for ballast water management.
LR's new operational notations - BWMP (T,F,S) - will specifically recognize that a vessel's operational procedures follow the IMO guidelines in accordance with treatment process, flow through exchange or sequential exchange. The notations - T (treatment); F (flow-through), S (sequential) - are indicative of which ballast management are employed.
LR also released a revised version of its Web-based information service, ClassDirect Live. Developed on the basis of user feedback, the new features improve the user interface for easy navigation. Advanced survey planning and information services provided include offline information, allowing clients to customize reports, ordering survey online and displaying all activities associated with a survey, including items credited.