Last week, the IMO came together for the 71st meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). It was decided that – at least partly – the implementation of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention would be postponed.
The IMO has made concessions to the maritime industry, allowing ship owners to reschedule the implementation of the BWM for their existing fleet. These vessels need to comply by their first International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) certificate renewal after 8 September, 2019. All vessels built after the originally planned date of the 8 September 2017 need to adhere to the convention as soon as they launch.
Due to the amendment, the full global implementation will be achieved by the end of 2024. However, the decision made by the IMO did not come as a surprise. (See MARINE NEWS from February)