MEPC 83 will debate ballast water regulation as shipowners report difficulties meeting D-2 compliance despite using approved systems
The 83rd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), being held 7-11 April 2025, will place renewed scrutiny on the practical implementation of ballast water regulations, particularly concerning compliance with the D-2 standard under the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments.
A joint submission from Liberia, the Marshall Islands, Intertanko, Intercargo, ICS and BIMCO warned ships continue to encounter operational difficulties when attempting to meet the D-2 standard in challenging water quality conditions.These difficulties arise even when vessels are equipped with type-approved ballast water management systems (BWMS) operated according to manufacturer guidelines.
The co-sponsors argued relying solely on the BWMS to assess water quality can damage equipment, particularly when systems are run in ports with high sediment loads.
“Operating BWMS in river ports with high currents… may damage components of the system, rendering it non-operational for extended periods,” the submission stated.
In their view, this increases the risk of spreading invasive aquatic species due to the resulting system downtime.
Resolution MEPC.387(81), adopted at MEPC 81, discourages pre-emptive bypass of the BWMS.However, the co-sponsors observed obtaining advance agreements between flag states and coastal states for such bypasses has proven challenging.
The lack of publicly accessible contact details for the responsible coastal authorities has made these approvals effectively unworkable in practice.They called on the Committee to facilitate the publication of this information to support future compliance efforts.
