Photo: Esther Collinetti via openi.nlm.nih.gov
The U.S. Coast Guard announced Tuesday the acceptance of nine ballast water treatment systems as Alternate Management Systems (AMS) in compliance with the service’s March 2012 final rule for Standards for Living Organisms in Ships’ Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. waters.
AMS acceptance by the Coast Guard is a temporary designation given to a ballast water treatment system approved by a foreign administration. Vessel operators may use an AMS to manage their ballast water discharges in lieu of ballast water exchange, while the treatment system undergoes approval testing to Coast Guard standards.
An AMS may be used to meet the Coast Guard ballast water treatment requirements for up to five years after the ship’s ballast water discharge standard compliance date specified in the final rule. This five-year timeframe allows for the completion of required land-based and shipboard testing.
“With these AMS acceptances, we move into a new era of aquatic invasive species prevention and control,” said Coast Guard Rear Adm. Joseph A. Servidio, Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy. “Compared with the existing requirement for mid-ocean ballast water exchange, these technological solutions reduce the ballast water exchange safety concerns for mariners and provide greater protection for the marine environment.”
“This is an important first step in making Coast Guard and foreign approved ballast water treatment systems available for the global shipping industry,” said Servidio. “The Coast Guard AMS program will allow ship owners and operators to install a ballast water treatment system and use it in U.S. waters while it undergoes approval testing.”
The Coast Guard continues to review applications for AMS acceptance and will announce further determinations.
The full list of BWTS are listed below by manufacturer/model name:
Specific model numbers can be downloaded HERE
For information on how to obtain an AMS acceptance from the Coast Guard, please visit the Coast Guard’s Environmental Standards Division’s website at http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg522/cg5224/bwm.asp.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 109,835 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
A 37-year-old crew member was saved after spending three harrowing days adrift at sea following alleged abuse aboard a fishing vessel. Afif Efendy, a crew member of the fishing vessel...
British oil and gas major Shell on Tuesday settled a London lawsuit it brought against environmental group Greenpeace after activists boarded a Shell oil production vessel last year.
Satellite imagery show that Russian naval ships have left Moscow's base at Tartous on Syria's coast and some have dropped anchor offshore following the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by rebel forces.
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 109,835 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
