On December 2, 2016, the Marine Safety Center announced the approval of the first U.S. Coast Guard type approved Ballast Water Management System (BWMS), after a detailed review of the type approval application determined the system met the requirements of 46 CFR 162.060.

The Optimarin Ballast System is a filtration/ultraviolet ballast water management system with treatment capacities ranging from 167m3/h to 3000m3/h.

Extension letters will remain valid until the extended compliance date specified in the extension letter.

Commercial seagoing ships operating in U.S. waters (within 12 nautical miles), and not otherwise exempted, are required to manage ballast water in one of five ways:

1. Use a U.S. type-approved BWMS to meet the discharge standard
2. Temporarily use a foreign type-approved BWMS that has been accepted by the U.S. Coast Guard as an Alternate Management System (AMS)
3. Use and discharge ballast water obtained exclusively from a U.S. Public Water System (PWS); 4. Discharge ballast water to a reception facility
4. Do not discharge ballast water inside 12 nautical miles.

For further information, please read the attachment below.

Ballast Water Management Extension Program

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