MEPC 80 was not without disappointment for some, but some ballast water initiatives were agreed
Although there were hopes for solid progress on the issue of challenging water quality, which did not resolve, there was agreement and adoption of other ballast water issues.
Under the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM Convention) review process, various items have been added or improved to make the convention more manageable.
At MEPC 80, the Ballast Water Record Book was reviewed and from the knowledge gained at the experience building phase, revised guidance on entries and samples of entries were adopted.
This included adopting the Guidelines for the use of electronic record books under the BWM Convention (resolution MEPC.372(80)), which brings this into line with other electronic record book criteria. MEPC 81, scheduled for April 2024, will see the adoption of further amendments to the Guidelines.
Adopted at MEPC 80 was a protocol for ballast water compliance monitoring devices and unified interpretation of the form of the BWM Convention certificate.
Changes to the BWMS type-approval process were also raised ahead of MEPC 80 but no outcome was mentioned in the summary that was presented to the plenary session.
Not adopted were guidelines or protocol on the temporary storage of sewage and grey water, the subject of a submission to MEPC 80 by Japan, which was raised but not resolved, and deferred to MEPC 81.
Nor was there a resolution to the tricky question of challenging water quality which was debated in the working group during MEPC 80.
Sign up for Riviera’s series of technical and operational webinars and conferences in 2023:
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.