- March 8, 2022
- 2022 , Circulars
- Comments : 0
Amendments to the AFS Convention
08 March 2022 | C22014
The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), at its 76th session, approved amendments to the International Convention on the Control of harmful Anti-fouling systems coming into force on 01st of January 2023.
NOTICE TO
Ship Owners/ Managers/ Operators | Surveyors/Auditors
The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), at its 76th session, approved amendments to the International Convention on the Control of harmful anti-fouling systems on ships (AFS Convention) concerning controls on cybutryne and form of the International Anti-fouling System Certificate.
This introduces a ban to apply or re-apply anti-fouling systems containing cybutryne from 1 January 2023. All ships should remove or seal such anti-fouling systems at the next scheduled renewal of the anti-fouling system after 1 January 2023, but no later than 60 months following the last application of such anti-fouling system prior to 1 January 2023.
The requirement to remove or seal does not apply to fixed and floating platforms, FSUs and FPSOs constructed prior to 1 January 2023 and not dry-docked on or after that date; ships not engaged in international voyages; and ships of less than 400 GT engaged in international voyages, if accepted by the coastal State.
The amendments are contained in IMO Resolution MEPC.331(76).
AFS Certificate amendments
The Form of the Certificate has been amended to reflect the above and identify also the cases where ships that had applied an anti-fouling system containing cybutryne previously but have such a system not currently contained in the external coating layer of their hulls or external parts or surfaces.
| Antifouling system | Control Measures | Application | Effective date |
| Cybutryne
CAS No. 28159-98-0 |
Ships shall not apply or re-apply anti-fouling systems containing this substance | All ships | 1 January 2023 |
| Cybutryne
CAS No. 28159-98-0 |
Ships bearing an anti-fouling system that contains this substance in the external coating layer of their hulls or external parts or surfaces on 1 January 2023 shall either:
a. remove the anti-fouling system; or b. apply a coating that forms a barrier to this substance leaching from the underlying non-compliant anti-fouling system |
All ships except:
a. fixed and floating platforms, FSUs, and FPSOs that have been constructed prior to 1 January 2023 and that have not been in dry-dock on or after 1 January 2023; b. ships not engaged in international voyages; and c. ships of less than 400 gross tonnage engaged in international voyages, if accepted by the coastal State(s) |
At the next scheduled renewal of the anti-fouling system after 1 January 2023, but no later than 60 months following the last application to the ship of an anti-fouling system containing cybutryne |
Act now
Ship Owners / Managers / Operators should take into consideration the above amendments to the AFS Convention, coming into force on January 01st, 2023.
Surveyors should verify compliance at the next scheduled renewal of the anti-fouling system after 01st of January 2023 but no later than 60 months following the last application to the ship of an anti-fouling system containing cybutryne,
