Environment
Focus on environmental protection continues to increase - transportation technology is going “greener” and the shipping industry is expected to follow. Discussions have traditionally focussed on accidental oil spills, which can cause damage to physical property and assets, ecosystems and natural habitats. More recently, the focus has expanded to include the production of waste, air pollution and damage to the environment caused by invasive aquatic species carried in the ballast water of ships. A breach of regulations may give rise to substantial fines and increasingly, criminal charges may be brought against officers and crew, shore-based personnel and the company itself. This topic aims to help by highlighting environmental liability issues commonly encountered by Gard.
General issues
Bohai Sea, China – fines for discharge of pollutants
MARPOL Annex V – discharge of harmful cargo hold wash water
MARPOL Annex V - revised garbage disposal regulations
MEPC 69 on discharge of harmful cargo hold wash water
New "No Discharge Zone" prohibiting the discharge of sewage in all California marine waters
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2014 Vessel General Permit (VGP) requirements
Ballast water management - are you ready for 8 September 2017?
Ballast water regulations - pending entry into force of the Ballast Water Mangement Convention
Carp(e) diem - current issues on ballast water regulations in the US
Criminal liabilities in the US - the Coast Guard and Justice Department widen the net
Gard Guidance to Masters - ballast water operations
Mediterranean countries agree on voluntary interim ballast water management regulations
New ballast water discharge standards in US waters
New Zealand - management of biofouling risk
Norway - ballast water regulation
South Korea - discharge of ballast water loaded in Japan
The invisible invasion continues - update on ships and invasive species
Update on the US Vessel General Permit programme - It's all in the details
US Coast Guard provides additional ’post type-approval’ guidance to its ballast water regulations
A sea change: the French Government rethinks its oil pollution legislation post-ERIKA
Air emissions - California update
Amendments to the California Clean Fuel Regulations
Australia toughens pollution laws
California – violation of the 0.10 per cent sulphur limit
California’s at-berth emission requirements toughens
California’s low sulphur fuel regulation remains in force
Canada - oil spill response arrangements
Canada implements North American ECA requirements
China emission control areas - update
China introduces 0.50 per cent sulphur cap in major port regions
Fines continue to take their toll
Gard Guidance to Masters - Matters affecting voyage performance - Pollution
Gard Guidance to Masters - Pollution
New Greek marine pollution legislation
Onboard verification of fuel sulphur content
Pollution Regulations in the People's Republic of China
Preparing for low sulphur operation
Ship emissions - contractual considerations
Shipping emissions regulations
Thank you for not smoking - the US and Canada to watch ship air emissions more closely
Turkey - new requirements for fuel oil sulphur content
US Coast Guard - low sulphur fuel issues
US Law - CARB regulations update
US non-tank vessel response plans
US penalty policy for ECA violations
US Vessel Response Plans – 1-Call Alaska Alternative Planning Criteria (APC) expanded
USCG detains vessel for failure to use low sulphur fuel oil in the North America ECA
Vessel manoeuvring affected by the use of ultra-low sulphur fuel