As previously informed in ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-1085, the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship's Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (Hereinafter referred to "the BWM Convention") satisfied the requirements for entry into force on 8 September 2016. This means that the BWM Convention will officially enter into force one year later on 8 September 2016.

Although the installation of Ballast Water Management System (Hereinafter referred to "BWMS") (Regulation D-2 of the BWM Convention) which satisfy the relevant Ballast water performance standard will be required according to the compliance schedule for BWMS after the BWM Convention enters into force, the use of Ballast water exchange standard (Regulation D-1 of the BWM Convention) will continue to be accepted up until the compliance date for the installation of BWMS. The approval of a Ballast water management plan and proper maintenance of a Ballast water record book is, however, required regardless of whether Regulation D-1 or Regulation D-2 is applied.

Once the BWM Convention enters into force, all ships of 400 gross tonnage and above to which the BWM Convention applies should have International Ballast Water Management Certificate for the BWM Convention (Hereinafter referred to "the Certificate") on board. Accordingly, ClassNK has launched to issue the Certificate following initial survey subject to the authorization from administration.

The plans and documents required to be submitted for approval, which need to be performed prior to that carrying out of initial survey, are as listed below. Plans and documents required to be submitted for approval which were previously submitted or approved during the classification approval process do not need to be re-submitted.

1. Approval plans, documents and initial survey
(1) Ships applied with Ballast water exchange standard (Ships applied with only Regulation D-1)
(i) Approval plans and documents
Ballast water management plan (Total 2 sets) is to be submitted to ClassNK Machinery Department.

(To be continued)