1.7 BWM And PSC Flashcards
What are the contents of the Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB)?
- Ballast water uptake
- Ballast water treatment
- Ballast water discharge to sea
- Ballast water discharge to shore facility
- Exceptional discharge
- Other remarks
- Working language
What is the purpose for BWM?
To prevent the spread or interaction of non-local pathogens into local waters.
How is BWM achieved?
D1 and D2
D1 Standards and D2 Standards
D1 - Exchange Standards
D2 - Performance Standards
Contents for BWMP?
- Vessel particulars
- Ballast Water Management Method
- Crew Responsibilities
- Operational Procedures
- Recording requirements
- Training
Q. Define the following:
- Ballast Water
- Ballast Water Management
- Sediments
Ballast water - means water with its suspended matter taken on board a ship to control trim, list, draught, stability or stresses of the ship
Ballast water management - means mechanical, physical, chemical, and biological processes, either singularly or in combination, to remove, render harmless, or avoid the uptake or discharge of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens within ballast water and sediments
Sediments - means matter settled out of ballast water within a ship.
Q. List the certificates, documents and records relating to ballast water management.
Ballast Water Management Certificate.
Ballast Water Management Plan.
Ballast Water Record Book.
Crew training records.
Q. What are the essential contents of the BWMP?
An approved BWMP must address:
The safety procedures for the ship and the crew in Ballast Water Management.
Procedures relating to various ballast operations like ballast exchange at sea.
Detail the procedures for the disposal of Sediments:
At sea.
To shore
Detail procedures for coordinating BWM discharge to the sea with the authorities of the State into whose waters such discharge will take place.
Designate the officer on board in charge of ensuring that the plan is properly implemented.
Specify reporting requirements for ships (including record book(BWRB)).
BWMP must be written in the official working language of the ship.
If the language used is not English, French or Spanish, a translation into one of these languages shall be included.
Q. What are the entries required to be entered into Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB)?
Each ship shall have on board a Ballast Water Record Book that may be an electronic record system or that may be integrated into another record book or system:
BWRB must cover:
When ballast water is taken on board.
When ballast water is circulated.
When ballast water is discharged into the sea or reception facility.
Accidental discharge of ballast.
Any operational general remarks.
It should contain a complete record of all ballast water movements. Records that should be kept in the vessel’s ballast water recording system when conducting a ballast water exchange are:
Start and finish coordinates.
Start and finish times for pumping water during an exchange.
Actual pumping times (these should not be affected by the crossing of time zones).
Residual volume remaining in the tank at the end the empty cycle prior to refill (empty refill method only).
Signature of the officer in charge of the operation.
Q. What is the intended purpose of the Port State Control (PSC)?
The fundamental reason for port State control is to stop substandard ships from trading. AMSA port State control inspections are carried out on foreign vessels visiting Australia to ensure that they are:
Seaworthy.
Do not provide a pollution risk.
Provide a healthy and safe working environment.
Comply with relevant international regulations.
AMSA also carries out the same inspections on Australian-flagged ships, though in this case, they would be categorised as Flag State Inspections.
PSC ensures that foreign vessels not only comply with the laws of their own Flag State but also those of the ports she visits. AMSA conducts PSC inspections following international guidelines and within the constraints of its authority.
PSC inspections are complementary to national measures taken by Flag State administrations. A Flag State cannot monitor every ship in its fleet wherever it sails in the world.
Port States were given powers to inspect vessels and control any deficiencies found onboard foreign ships visiting their ports. These deficiencies may be rectified before the ships are allowed to sail.
It is known that the responsibility for ensuring that ships comply with the provisions of the relevant instruments rests upon the owners, masters and the Flag States. Some Flag States fail to fulfil their commitments contained in agreed international legal instruments and subsequently, some ships are sailing in an unsafe condition, threatening lives as well as the marine environment. Port State control is a system of harmonised inspection procedures designed to target sub-standard ships, with the main objective being their eventual elimination.
Q. How are the objectives of PSC achieved?
Maritime Safety Inspectors conduct inspections following international guidelines and within the constraints of their authority. MSI’s are guided by a checklist based on resolutions of the IMO.
During a PSC inspection, the MSI first conducts an initial inspection; this usually starts with an inspection of the vessel’s statutory certificates and documents to ensure compliance, with a cursory inspection of the vessel’s safety equipment. In Australia, this is known as a ‘Form A’ Inspection.
During a PSC inspection, the Inspector first conducts an initial inspection. This comprises a visit on board to verify the ship carries the necessary valid certificates and documentation. They also inspect areas critical to the safe operation of the ship to form an opinion as to whether the vessel complies with those certificates and the overall conditions of the ship, its equipment and its crew. If certification is invalid, or if there are clear grounds to suspect that the ship and/or its equipment or crew may not be in substantial compliance with the relevant convention requirements, a more detailed inspection is undertaken. This attracts a fee which is currently set at A$215/hour.
Q. Differentiate between a Form A and Form B PSC inspection.
For all inspections, a ‘Form A’ is completed to indicate that an inspection has been carried out. When deficiencies are noted, a ‘Form B’ is additionally completed.
Conduct of PSC Inspections.
The initial inspection covers certificates and documentation and areas critical to the safe operation of the ship.
FORM A
Every vessel receives a FORM A inspection initially.
Completed to indicate a PSC has been carried out.
Master to retain on board for a minimum of 2 years.
Available for consultation by a PSC surveyor at all times.
Copy sent to PSC head office.
FORM B is completed when deficiencies are noted. Deficiencies, in most cases, are to be rectified in a prescribed time frame. It could be before the vessel departs, at the next port, within 14 days, within 3 months or other conditions. All these factors are dependent on how serious the deficiencies are.
If certificates are found to be invalid, or there are clear grounds to suspect the ship or its equipment or crew may not be in substantial compliance with the relevant convention requirements, a more detailed inspection is carried out. In Australia, this is known as a ‘Form B’ Inspection. All vessels receiving a ‘Form B’ inspection will receive a deficiency notice and this will be forwarded to the vessel flag state, classification society and the international database for port state control.
Q. Briefly explain how PSC Authorities select which vessels calling at ports within their jurisdiction to inspect. Be sure to include in your answer an explanation of the undesirability of a ‘bad reputation’ under PSC.
Selection of ships for inspection depends on several factors, including:
Risk factors as described by the international database.
Specific complaints.
Environmental risk.
Vessels registered in Flag States with a ‘bad reputation’ have more probability of being inspected. Individual vessels would evidently prefer not to be detained and Flag States do not want to gain a reputation for requiring more than their fair share of inspections.
Q. Cite the 9 International Treaties that PSC authorities seek to verify compliance with during PSC inspections.
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974.
The International Conventions for the Prevention of Pollution from ships (MARPOL) 1973/78 as amended.
The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers (STCW) 1995 as amended.
Maritime Labour Convention 2006.
The International Convention on Load Lines 1966.
The International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of ships 1969.
Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) 1972.
International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM).
International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on ships.
Q. What are Focused Inspection Campaigns (FICs)?
Focused inspection campaigns target areas on ships which commonly have deficiencies. The aim of these campaigns is to ensure all ships inspected are compliant with international requirements. Each focused inspection campaign targets an area on the ship that commonly has deficiencies. These areas are checked during an inspection in Australian ports.
AMSA conducts focused inspection campaigns on ships visiting Australian ports. Each focused inspection campaign targets an area on the ship that they commonly find is not meeting international standards and is not compliant. AMSA may conduct smaller, focused inspection campaigns from time to time that are aimed at gathering information for AMSA and, as such, are not published online.
Each campaign focus and timeframe is given to the shipping industry through marine notices one month before the start date. During the campaign, AMSA inspectors use a standard checklist to confirm that an area or individual equipment meets international standards. If an inspector finds a deficiency in relation to the campaign, it will be required to be fixed as normal port State control inspections. Similar to AMSA, other PSCs also carry out FICs.
