Jacqueline Tan News

Jacqueline Tan, Senior Claims Executive at the UK P&I Club, commented on the ballast water management controls coming into force:  “The coming into force of the Ballast Water Management Convention 2004 (“BWMC”) is now imminent. As of February 12, 2015, 44 States representing 32.86% out of the requisite 35% of the world’s merchant fleet tonnage have ratified the Convention. The balance is expected to be obtained shortly and the Convention will enter into force 12 months thereafter. “Rather than delaying the Convention’s entry into force date, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has proposed  delaying the implementation of sanctions for a trial period of between two to three years once the Convention comes into force.

Shipowners will soon be obliged to address new and expensive regulations to deal with ballast water. The Ballast Water Management Convention 2004 will require them to understand compliance standards, develop a ballast water management plan, select and install a treatment system and train personnel to operate the system. Their ships will be subject to surveys and inspection to maintain certification. The Convention requires ratification by 30 states, accounting for 35% of world merchant tonnage. To date, state signatures amounting to 29% of that tonnage have been obtained with the remainder expected shortly. The International Maritime…

The UK P&I Club has chosen to focus its latest Legal Briefing publication on the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, adopted by the IMO in 2004. Implementation of the Convention is now probably just two years away and ship owners and managers are coming under increasing pressure as they struggle to be ready in time. Over the past 20 to 30 years, the consequences of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) travelling around the globe in ships’ ballast water have become increasingly apparent.