A summary of the decision taken at the seventieth session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 71) held from 3 to 7 July 2017 is provided as below for your information.

1. Ballast Water Management Convention
Ballast Water Management Convention was adopted in 2004 in order to prevent the adverse effects to the marine environment caused by the transfer of ballast water. The Convention requires ships to conduct ballast water exchange offshore (Regulation D-1) or through Ballast Water Management Systems which meet the standard for the discharge of ballast water (Regulation D-2).
The Convention entered into force on 8 September 2017 since Finland has ratified the Convention on 8 September 2016 and the conditions for entry into force been satisfied.

(1) Installation schedule of Ballast Water Management Systems
At Assembly 28 held in 2013, resolution A.1088(28) was adopted, in which existing ships were allowed to be exempted from installation of the Systems until its first renewal survey for International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Certificate following the date of entry into force of the Convention. At MEPC 69, draft amendments to regulation B-3 of the Convention reflecting the requirements of resolution A.1088(28) were approved. The draft amendments were expected to be adopted at MEPC 72 which will be held following the entry into force of the Convention.
At MEPC 70, there was an alternative proposal to revise installation schedule of the Systems (application date of Regulation D-2) which allows further additional extension to existing ships. However, there were divergent opinions, and conclusion on this matter could not be reached at MEPC 70.
At this session, a compromise proposal between resolution A.1088(28) and the alternative proposal was considered. As a result of the discussion, the draft amendments to regulation B-3 of the Convention, which revise the installation schedule for new ships and existing ships, were approved as below. MEPC 71 also adopted MEPC resolution to implement the approved regulation B-3 immediately after entry into force of the Convention, while the draft amendments to regulation B-3 will be adopted at MEPC 72 held in Aril 2018, to avoid the creation of a dual treaty regime. (Refer to MEPC.287(71) as attachment 2)

(To be continued)