IMO held the 47th session of the Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) from 4 to 8 March 2002. Technical matters which are relevant to this society discussed at the session are briefly given hereunder. For your information, no mandatory resolution was adopted at this session.

1. Agenda item 2-Harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water
(Draft instrument)
(1) The Committee discussed the draft instrument on the issue of ballast water management standards, for the draft "International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship's Ballast Water and Sediments".
(2) The Committee, considering the ballast water exchange was currently the only management option available to the shipping sector and the necessity to make substantial progress on this issue to hold the planned Diplomatic Conference in 2003, agreed that the ballast water exchange standard should be one of the tools within the draft legal instrument, alongside one or more treatment standards. The Committee also agreed that a 95% reduction of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens would achieve a worthwhile reduction of risk and would be a practicable and achievable solution in the medium term.
However specific plans such as what equipment to be onboard the ship, how the ballast tanks to be arranged and strength of the ballast tanks have not been discussed. And even if the International Convention is adopted at the Diplomatic Conference in 2003, it is hard, at this moment, to predict when the Convention entries into force.
(3) (MSC/MEPC Circular)
The Committee considered and approved the MSC/MEPC Circular on "design suggestions for ballast water and sediment management options in new ships". This circular, which is of recommendatory nature only, is directed to informing and stimulating the shipbuilding community about the future directions on the ballast water issue. The following matters are stated briefly as consideration at the design phase of new ships;
(I) Sea chest
(ii) Ballast water suction piping
(iii) Sea suction strainers
(iv) Ballast pumps
(v) Ballast tanks

(To be continued)


2. Agenda item 4-Prevention of air pollution from ships
MARPOL Annex VI, when it comes into force, will set limits on sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from ship exhausts. And the Committee agreed to establish a Correspondence Group to collate information received, to prepare an IMO Strategy/Policy on greenhouse gas emission from ships and to develop a draft Assembly resolution on this matter. And the Committee adopted the "Guidelines for the Sampling of Fuel Oil for Determination of Compliance with Annex VI of MARPOL 73/78".

3. Agenda item 6-Interpretation and amendments of MARPOL 73/78 and related Codes
The Committee noted that no objections had been received by 1 March 2002 to the amendments to MARPOL Annex I concerning the revised regulation 13G and the amendments will enter into force on 1 September 2002.
(1) (Condition Assessment Scheme - Model Survey Plan)
MEPC 46 adopted by resolution MEPC.94(46) the Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS) as a mandatory instrument under revised resolution 13G, with the understanding that the Model Survey Plan would be developed at MEPC 47. The Committee approved a Model Survey Plan and agreed that the Model Survey Plan should be issued as soon as possible for Member Government to start implementing it given the fact that certain tankers will have to undergo their first CAS survey in September 200