September 2019

Commissioning testing of BWMS for Singapore flagged ships

18 September, 2019

The BWM Convention (International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004), is designed to prevent and minimize the risk from spread of harmful and invasive aquatic species transferred from ships ballast water. It entered into force on 8 September 2017.

MEPC 74 (May, 2019) approved the draft amendments to regulation E-1.1 and E-1.5 of the BWM Convention which require the installed ballast water management system (BWMS) to undergo a commissioning test during the initial or additional ballast water management survey.The purpose of this test is to verify that the mechanical, physical, chemical and biological processes of the installed BWMS are working properly, taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore recently published MPA Shipping Circular No.9 stipulating that the commissioning test should be carried out for BWMS installed on board ships of 400 GT and above after 8 September 2019.

This information relates to the Singapore flag instruction for mandatory commissioning test for Singapore flagged ships prior to entry into force of the amendments to regulation E-1.1 and 1.5 of the BWM Convention., Ship owners with Singapore flagged ships as well as builders, test facilities for ballast water and all related stakeholders should pay full attention this instruction.

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KR Webzine Vol.139