Coming into MEPC 44, the delegation of Norway stated the working group had thus far been unable to come to general agreement on basic principles. Mr. Alec Bilney of the International Chamber of Shipping in London attended the meetings. The global concept takes the premise that all ships must perform ballast water treatment every voyage. The ballast water management zones concept establishes regions within which requirements for treatment are determined by the coastal states in each geographical area. In addition, Bilney points out the ballast water group is trying to decide whether flag state nations should require their ships to perform ballast water management irrespective of the ports where ballast would be taken or discharged.
Experts agree that open ocean exchange of ballast is only a temporary procedure.
He believes the shippers also need to know what the performance factor for treatment technologies is, how will they measure this and who is the authority to decide . Results of these issues and others will be reported in CQD's follow-up after the summary report of the working group ispresented on Monday March 13th.