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Ballast water management and places of refuge top ASF agenda

Ballast water management and places of refuge top ASF agenda
The Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention and places of refuge topped the agenda at the annual meeting of the Asian Shipowners Forum (ASF) In Tokyo this week.

The BWM Convention is expected to reach the ratification threshold soon and be implemented a year later. Concerns remain though that some of the equipment available in the market may not meet the standards of the convention once it is implemented.

“Unfortunately not all the available ballast water treatment systems approved by IMO consistently reach a level that meets the D2 discharge performance standard. The ASF is therefore wary that shipowners may be at risk of having to replace the fitted equipment if the system is later found unsuitable,” ASF said in a statement following the meeting.

It said it supported the review of approval and performance standards by IMO.

The provision of places of refuge was back on the agenda after the chemical tanker Maritime Maisie was left adrift in the Sea of Japan for over 100 days following an explosion and fire that crippled the vessel.

The ASF urged all governments, including those in Asia: “To consider adopting the IMO Place of Refuge Guidelines and IMO Maritime Assistance Services (MAS) Guidelines as a matter of urgency.” It also urged the ratification and bringing into force of the liability and compensation conventions agreed by the IMO.

It also called upon shipowners and other stakeholders develop emergency plan and designate places of refuge and, “To consider introducing channels of improved cooperation and communication between States, as well as with competent authorities and the parties involved in an incident, in order to facilitate decision making.”

As well as the BWM Convention and places of refuge the ASF also expressed concerns increases in tolls on both the Panama and Suez Canals.

“The Canal Authorities, as competent and responsible administrators of public infrastructure of global trade, should seriously listen to the voices of canal users and governments of interested countries in order to ensure the stability, transparency, and predictability of toll pricing policies,” said Yasumi Kudo, chairman of the Shipping Economics Review Committee.