MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

COMMITTEE

53rd session

Agenda item 2

　

　

　

1 Regulation D-3.2 of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments stipulates that Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances to comply with the Convention shall be approved by the Organization, based on a Procedure developed by the Organization.

　

2 Resolution 1 adopted by the International Conference on Ballast Water Management for Ships, held in February 2004, invited the Organization to develop the guidelines and procedures required under the Convention as a matter of urgency to facilitate global and uniform implementation of the instrument.

　

　

3 MEPC 51 noted the urgent need to finalize the Procedure for approval of Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances to facilitate the review of technology required under regulation D-5 of the Convention.

　

4 During MEPC 52, the Ballast Water Working Group completed the development of the Procedures for Approval of Ballast Water Management systems (G9) contained in annex 2 of document MEPC 52/WP.7.

　

5 As instructed by the Committee, the Secretariat prepared a draft MEPC resolution on the Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances for consideration with a view to adoption by MEPC 53. In doing so the Secretariat has addressed the editorial changes suggested at the end of MEPC 52 and made a number of further changes to harmonize the format with previous MEPC resolutions and to ensure consistency with what has been decided.

　

6 Attached at annex is the draft MEPC resolution together with the text of the Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances (G9).

　

　

7 The Committee is invited to take note of the information provided in this document and to consider the draft Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances (G9) with a view to its adoption by the MEPC resolution.

　

　

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THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COMMITTEE,

　

 RECALLING Article 38(a) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Marine Environment Protection Committee conferred upon it by the international conventions for the prevention and control of marine pollution,

　

 RECALLING ALSO that the International Conference on Ballast Water Management for Ships held in February 2004 adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (the Ballast Water Management Convention) together with four Conference resolutions,

　

 NOTING that regulation A-2 of the Ballast Water Management Convention requires that discharge of ballast water shall only be conducted through Ballast Water Management in accordance with the provisions of the Annex to the Convention,

　

 NOTING FURTHER that regulation D-3.2 of the Annex to the Ballast Water Management Convention provides that Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances or Preparations containing one or more Active Substances used to comply with this Convention, shall be approved by the Organization based on a Procedure developed by the Organization,

　

 NOTING ALSO that resolution 1 adopted by the International Conference on Ballast Water Management for Ships invited the Organization to develop this Procedure as a matter of urgency,

　

 HAVING CONSIDERED, at its fifty-third session, the draft Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances developed by the Ballast Water Working Group,

　

1. ADOPTS the Procedure for Approval of Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances, as set out in the annex to this resolution;

　

2. INVITES Governments to apply the Guidelines as soon as possible, or when the Convention becomes applicable to them; and

　

3. AGREES to keep the Guidelines under review.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

1.1 This procedure describes the approval and withdrawal of approval of Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances to comply with the Convention and their manner of application as set out in Regulation D-3 of the "International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments". The Convention requires that at withdrawal of approval, the use of the relevant Active Substance or Substances shall be prohibited within 1 year after the date of such withdrawal.

　

1.2 To comply with the Convention, Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances or Preparations containing one or more Active Substances shall be approved by the Organization, based on a procedure developed by the Organization.

　

1.3 The objective of this procedure is to determine the acceptability of Active Substances and Preparations containing one or more Active Substances and their application in Ballast Water Management systems concerning ship safety, human health and the aquatic environment. This procedure is provided as a safeguard for the sustainable use of Active Substances and Preparations.

　

1.4 This procedure is not intended for the evaluation of the efficacy of Active Substances. The efficacy of Ballast Water Management systems that make use of Active Substances should be evaluated in accordance with the "Guidelines for Approval of Ballast Water Management Systems".

　

1.5 The goal of the procedure is to ensure proper application of the provisions contained in the Convention and the safeguards required by it. As such the procedure is to be updated as the state of knowledge and technology may require. New versions of the procedure will be circulated by the Organization following their approval.

　

　

2.1 For the purposes of this procedure, the definitions in the Convention apply and: