United States Coast Guard (USCG) has announced the approval of the Coast Guard type approved Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) and published Marine Safety Information Bulletin (14-16) regarding Ballast Water Management System Extension Program December 2017. (For details, please refer to ClassNK Technical Information No.TEC-1099)
USCG also published a further announcement (Marine Safety Information Bulletin, March 6, 2017 (OES-MSIB Number: 003/17).

The main contents are as below.
1. The length of compliance date extension is based on vessel's compliance date as follows.
(1) Vessels having a compliance date before and including 31 December 2018:
- Vessel owners and operators who have identified that a BWMS is available for a vessel but do not have enough time to install it prior to the vessel's compliance date must provide a strategy, including a detailed installation plan before the end of the extension. Extensions granted by USCG on this basis should be expected not to exceed 18 months.
-　Vessel owners and operators who have identified that a BWMS is not available for a vessel must provide a strategy, including a timeline. Extensions granted by USCG on this basis should be expected not to exceed 30 months.

(2) Vessels having a compliance date between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020:
- USCG will begin considering these requests 18 months prior to the vessel's compliance date.

(3) Vessels having a compliance date of 1 January 2021 or later:
- Extensions are not granted and vessel owners and operators should plan to be in compliance on their current compliance date.

2. Alternate Management System (AMS)
An AMS can be used for a period of five years after the vessel's compliance date. If it is determined that such BWMS is not available, the AMS can be installed before the vessel's compliance date and used for up to five years after the vessel's compliance date.

(To be continued)