ICS changes position on Ballast Water Management Convention

From: IHS Maritime 360

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has modified its stance towards the ratification by governments of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC), it said in a press release.

The Convention has still not yet entered into force having been adopted more than 10 years ago.

The ICS Board of Directors has agreed that the position of ICS is now as follows:

“Notwithstanding the need to resolve outstanding issues and questions concerning the implementation of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention, ICS acknowledges the agreement in principle by the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting in October to address the various concerns raised by the shipping industry. ICS will therefore no longer actively discourage those governments that have not yet done so from ratifying the Convention, in order that it might enter into force sooner rather than later so that amendments to the Convention, which the industry has requested, can then be adopted and implemented by governments as soon as possible.”

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