Operators should be aware that, on March 23, 2012, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) published new regulations in regard to ballast water discharges, in the form of a final rule entitled Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharge in U.S. Waters.
The rule outlines ballast water discharge standards (BWDS). It implements provisions which are intendedto ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that aquatic nuisance species are not discharged from vessels into the waters of the United States.
It should be noted that the final rule establishes a ballast water discharge standard that is consistent with that adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2004.
Applicability
The new rule applies to all non-recreational vessels, US and foreign, equipped with ballast tanks and which operate in the waters of the United States. It does not apply to foreign vessels engaged in innocent passage.
Source: The American P&I Club