ClassNK: Existing Ships Should Install BWMS Early On

After analyzing the retrofitting status of ballast water management systems (BWMS) on its registered ships, ClassNK said that installation deadlines based on the Ballast Water Management Convention for many of them are highly concentrated in the year 2022.

As difficulties are expected in the installation of BWMS if everyone around the world waits until 2022, the classification society recommends installing early.

As of the end of August 2018, there are 7,315 ships on the ClassNK register that are obligated to install BWMS in compliance with the BWM Convention. Of this amount, 1,915 ships have completed the installation, leaving 5,400 ships that still require attention.

The distribution of BWMS installation deadlines in line with the BWM Convention is as follows: 92 ships by 2019, 662 ships by 2020, 795 ships by 2021, 2,832 ships by 2022, 558 ships by 2023, and 461 ships by 2024, with the majority being highly concentrated in 2022.

The peak figure for 2022 may decrease due to the influence of ship recycling trends and response to USCG regulations, according to the classification society.

Adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2004, the BWM Convention entered into force in September 2017. The measure requires vessels to manage their ballast water to remove, render harmless, or avoid the uptake or discharge of aquatic organisms and pathogens within ballast water and sediments.