Ship&Offshore | Issue GreenTech/2017
The compromise solution
The maritime industry operates under a myriad of rules and regulations. Especially with regard to sustainability and protection of the environment, owners, operators and suppliers are continuously researching better, more efficient and environmentally friendlier concepts, designs, components and systems to meet or even exceed current and likely future regulatory requirements. The leading formative body in this respect is the International Maritime Organization (IMO), whose Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) held its 71st meeting just before this issue went to press. The main topic for discussion was the implementation scheme of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships‘ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention). While it had been merely a rumour for a few months in the run-up to this meeting that there would be a proposal by several countries to postpone the requirement to comply with the so-called D-2 standard, it has now been confirmed that a compromise has been reached for existing tonnage. (Details from the meeting can be found on pages 8 and 9.)