United States Coast Guard (USCG) published the Policy letter regarding the provision to grant an extension to the implementation schedule for ballast water management discharge standards for vessels using USCG approved ballast water management systems as provided in 33CFR151.1513 and 151.2036.
When making the extension request, it must provide documentation that despite all efforts to meet the ballast water discharge standard requirements, compliance by the date stipulated in the implementation schedule is not possible for the concerned / subject vessel.
The maximum duration of an extension issued by the USCG will not exceed 5 years from the vessel's implementation date. The applicants should recognize that implementation date is the actual date of delivery for new vessels.
Also note that the extension request must be filed with USCG no later than 12 months before the vessel's applicable implementation date.

The minimum vessel specific information shall include:
1. Vessel Name;
2. Vessel IMO or other official number;
3. Total ballast water capacity; and,
4. Scheduled delivery date on or after December 1, 2013 for a new vessel; or last drydocking date and first scheduled drydocking date after January 1, 2014 or January 1, 2016, as applicable, for existing vessels.

Inclusion of the following information will aid the USCG in making decision:
1. Documentation from shipyards indicating a lack of capability or capacity to install a ballast water management system on the vessel to comply with the implementation schedule;
2. Documentation of non-availability of suitable onshore facilities to receive untreated ballast water;
3. Documentation of non-availability of water from a U.S. public water system defined by 40CFR141.2 that can be used as ballast water;
4. Documentation attesting that USCG type approved ballast water management systems suitable for specific vessels of a particular design are not yet available;
5. A plan that indicates how the vessel will manage ballast water discharges that take place in U.S. waters;

(To be continued)