The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has considered how to carry out exemptions and exceptions to the rules of the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) during a meeting.
Last week’s meeting of the IMO Pollution Prevention and Response sub-committee (PPR) considered various proposals on the subject matter, including the joint HELCOM-OSPAR procedure on exemptions adopted in 2013.
In the ensuing discussion, views were expressed that the harmonized procedure on exemptions developed and adopted by HELCOM and OSPAR in 2013 is a good example of regional cooperation on these matters which other regions may use as an example.
The IMO sub-committee agreed that further discussion on the relevant regulations (BWMC A-3 and A-4) and Guidelines (G7) was needed with a view to clarifying their application in the context of exceptions and exemptions under the BWM Convention.
The meeting finally invited the 68th session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), scheduled to take place 11-15 May 2015 in London, to consider the views expressed and advise on any follow-up actions.
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