Ballast water exchange

[DC Sekhar]

Hi,

This website is definitely very interesting and I would like to add marine and coastal pollution to the topics being debated. I am an experienced merchant ship captain and have audited over 100 seagoing ships on environmental compliance. Now we carry out marine EIA studies. Perhaps most of you know, the ballast water water carried by ships in tens of thousands of tons from one continent to other is known to cause major irreversible disruption to local environment where it is discharged. Merchant shipping is now firming up effective measures to treat this water before it is discharged.

Sekhar

[s.muralidharan]

Dear Sir

Are these issues not covered either in Marpol or DG Shipping Rules in respective countries?

Are they allowed to discharge the ballast water without treatment? or do these discharge when they reach the port?

Regards

Murali

[DC Sekhar]

The international conventions are ratified by various countries and the latest status is given in IMO website. Various technologies are now under development for treatment around the world. Ballast water exchange is the popularly available method with its limitations.

To be fair, the shipping community is taking steps. But when applying new regulations to cover existing vessels where design changes are involved, a long lead time is given. 

Brgds/Sekhar   

[DAA]

I welcome this discussion, am in Port sector and want to upgrade the EMS of marine environment. But, indian environment legislation does not indicate too much on coastal environment, i.e dreding, it's monitoring requirement,suitability of dredge disposal, it's location, frequency, visiting vessel's check on Env. etc..you may pl.advice on different aspects of coastal environment & impact, mitigation measures etc..Thanks..

[Kumresh Sahrma]

Hellow Capt Sekhar,

How does it affect Indian shipping business as our waters are too dirty in comparison with International Standards?

 

[s.muralidharan]

You may contact Dr. PV Sasikumar, Marine Engineer who has a PhD in Marine Law- one of the few people who has worked in Marine Law related to Pollution and Environment Management Aspects

He is a Professor  and Head of Dept, in Cochin University Marine Institue.

You may be able to get his details from Internet

[DC Sekhar]

I am sure the capital and maintainence dredging and dumping ground would have been covered in the port's EIA and EMP.  

The visiting vessels to the port will be liable to checks by port state control, who are entitled to verify compliance to Marpol, Solas and other international conventions, by any ship visiting its waters.

Anything specific, pls email me on [e-mail] and I will try to answer. 

[DC Sekhar]

Kumresh, Your observation is too generalized and am unable to comment on it.

But you may be interested in knowing MARPOL convention allows ships to discharge their operational tank washing with a permitted level of oil content in international waters, except in designated 'special areas'. Many tankers go from Far East to load in Persian Gulf and need to wash wash their oil tanks to change their grades. They will normally complete their washing en route, retain the washing onboard, settle it and be ready to discharge washing to the sea. This discharge is often done while transiting Arabian Sea, just before entering Persian Gulf. Persian Gulf is designated as a 'special area'. These washing being discharged are mostly settled out water, but as I said, certain oil content is permitted by MARPOL. 

Kumresh Sahrma said:

Hellow Capt Sekhar,

How does it affect Indian shipping business as our waters are too dirty in comparison with International Standards?

 

[DC Sekhar]

Some of you may be interested in knowing that International spill control organisation (www.spillcontrol.org) sends regular bulletins about accidental oil and chemical pollution at sea, inland or coastal waters. i.e the likes of MSC Chitra. Of course this deals with post incident disaster management rather than management and control of operational pollution.  Sekhar