April 23, 2012
Operators should be aware that, on March 23, 2012, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) published new regulations in regard to ballast water discharges, in the form of a final rule entitled Standards for Living Organisms in Ships' Ballast Water Discharge in U.S. Waters.
The rule outlines ballast water discharge standards (BWDS). It implements provisions which are intendedto ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that aquatic nuisance species are not discharged from vessels into the waters of the United States.