Approval of Firms for Commissioning Test of Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS)

11 January 2022 |  C22003

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), at its 75th session, approved amendments to the BWM Convention, requiring a commissioning test at the time of initial or additional survey upon installation of BWMS, coming into force on 1^st of June 2022.

NOTICE TO
Ship Owners/ Managers/ Operators | Surveyors/Auditors/Verifiers | Service Suppliers

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), at its 75th session, approved amendments to the International Convention for the control and management of ship’s ballast water sediments mandating the commissioning testing of BWMS during installation surveys.

Resolution MEPC.325(75), adopted on 20 November 2020, revises Regulation E-1 regarding Surveys and more specifically Paragraph 1.5 is replaced with the below stated.

An additional survey, either general or partial, according to the circumstances, shall be made after a change, replacement, or significant repair of the structure, equipment, systems, fittings, arrangements and material necessary to achieve full compliance with the Convention. The survey shall be such as to ensure that any such change, replacement or significant repair has been effectively made, so that the ship complies with the requirements of the Convention. When an additional survey is undertaken for the installation of any ballast water management system, this survey shall confirm that a commissioning test has been conducted to validate the installation of the system by demonstrating that its mechanical, physical, chemical and biological processes are working properly, taking into account the guidelines developed by the Organization (BWM.2/Circ.70/Rev.1).

DromonClass can approve Firms engaged in commissioning testing of Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) since we follow the latest IACS Unified Requirements and more specifically our procedures comply with the latest IACS UR Z.17.

We have also revised our Publication on Service Suppliers to include the procedure for the approval of such Firms.

Act now

Service Suppliers that require approval under this type of services, should check the requirements and apply them to their quality management system to ensure compliance. Those Firms that require approval under this scheme, may contact Dromon Head Office.

Ship Owners/ Managers/ Operators should take into consideration this requirement to be applied from June 01^st, 2022 and check whether the Service Supplier that they shall enroll on board their ship possess such an approval.