Issue Summary
The 'environmental legislation' work programme item includes several issues including: ballast water management (BWM), ship recycling, anti-fouling convention and other environment issue that affect bulk carriers. Please note there are separate briefings on air emissions and port reception facilities.
Intercargo Policy
Intercargo participates in the development of international environmental legislation taking into account
- Safety
- Shipping’s environmental advantages over other modes of transport and
- Technological development
Intercargo supports practical legislation that takes account of safety and the environment and urges prompt ratification and consistent application of international conventions.
Summary of Recent Developments
At MEPC 59 (July 2009)
BWM -The Committee concluded the there are sufficient type-approved ballast water treatment technologies for ships subject to regulation B-3.3 constructed in 2010 (applies to smaller ships with <5000 cubic meters ballast capacity) and no further postponement of implementation dates would be necessary. In addition the Committee instructed the secretariat to draft an MEPC resolution requesting Administrations to encourage the installation of BWM treatment systems in accordance with the application dates in the Convention (notwithstanding its lack of ratification) for consideration at MEPC 60.
New Ballast Control Area – Middle East
During the meeting the representatives of the Kuwait Convention secretary, ROPME, announced their intention to implement ballast water regulations for ships entering the ROPME Sea Area.
The Kuwait Convention established the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME), which comprises the states of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. These states have agreed to implement ballast water legislation, which will enter into force on 1 November 2009.
Ship Recycling - Further to the adoption of the “Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009) the Committee continued its work on supporting guidelines, adopting the Guidelines for the development of the inventory of hazardous materials and advancing others including the draft guidelines for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling. |
Environmental Legislation
