With the D-2 standards compliance deadline looming, Ecochlor director of sales and marketing David Swindells warns shipowners that time is running out
The BWM Convention D-2 standards compliance deadline is 8 September 2024, but more than 40% of ships still need a ballast water management system (BWMS) retrofit – we could be heading into a chaotic race to the finish line as we approach the deadline.
Out of necessity often caused by the Covid 19 pandemic, many owners are still having to seek extensions from their governing authorities. This of course will inevitably compound matters as we get closer to the D2 deadlines.
It is understandable that some owners may find themselves in the situation of not being able to comply with the D-2 deadline. However, unless they can successfully apply to their Flag for an extension, they will not be able to continue to operate their vessel. The financial impact of such a scenario would be considerable.
In the US, extensions are only granted by the US Coast Guard under specific circumstances. Owners should not assume that they are easy to obtain. Ecochlor’s experience has been that customers need to have an existing contract in place with their BWMS supplier, that there is a specific situation preventing /installation, and that there is a clearly identified timeline to support the requested extension. But in some other jurisdictions we have seen some instances where owners of older vessels are pushing things to the end of 2024, in an effort to avoid the expense of a BWMS installation entirely. The thinking is that it may then be more cost-effective to scrap or sell the ship. This is a risky gambit indeed!
“The on-going granting of extensions is frustrating for those that have completed their BWMS programmes”
In addition to the late-comers to the game, there are early-adopters who, in the middle of their retrofit programme, have realised that their first choice of BWMS was not the right one ─ in fact, in some cases, not even the right technology.
Ecochlor is currently working with a number of owners that have had to make the change from UV-based technologies to our ClO2 treatment technology, due to the ship’s trade route and the prevailing water conditions making UV operation too difficult. Now, they are rushing to ensure that they are compliant for the earlier vessels, as well as the later additions to their fleet.
The on-going granting of extensions is frustrating for those that have completed, or almost completed, their BWMS programmes ahead of time. But the deadlines are looming large and the avenues for escape are slowly being closed off. That being said, many owners are simply happy to have finished that part of their BWMS journey, thereby allowing them to concentrate on the next slew of vital environmental regulations that they must address, such as CO2 emissions, energy efficiency and biofouling regulations. As one owner said to me: “Signing off my BWMS programme after all this time feels like I just finished a whole heap of chores – very satisfying!”
