Explanatory notes

Shipping industry takes new step to protect marine environments

Cleaning a ship’s submerged parts from barnacles and other growths, while the ship is in the water, can transfer invasive species to local marine environments unless it is properly cleaned and the debris is captured. To combat this problem, and to provide clarity and quality assurance to shipowners, ports and government authorities, BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) have published the first industry standard on in-water cleaning of ships.

BIMCO scales up its direct membership engagement

We’re scaling up our direct engagement with you, our members. Earlier this week, around 20 ship managers joined the relatively new BIMCO Ship Manager Advisory Panel for a debate about how to handle the EU ETS in practice. Also this week, the very first meeting took place in the BIMCO Bunker Buyer Network where around 20 bunker buyers among our owner members met to address some of the topical issues related to bunkering. Among other topics, the network reflected on upcoming GHG regulations and debated topics for future meetings as the nature of the networks are user driven.

BIMCO welcomes California's move in adopting US federal ballast water discharge standards

The California State Lands Commission (Commission) has adopted ballast water discharge standards meaning that ships arriving into the US will be one step closer to having to follow just one set of standards as opposed to different state-specific regulations. BIMCO welcomes the decision, as having standardised regulations helps create a level playing field rather than having different state-specific regulations. The decision delays plan to implement compliance dates for the existing interim and final California ballast water discharge performance standards which are different and are more stringent than US federal regulations. The compliance dates have been delayed to 2030 and 2040 and the Commission has also adopted regulatory amendments that will implement the federal ballast water discharge standards for vessels arriving at California ports, among other provisions. These changes will become effective on 1 January 2022.

California State Ballast Water Exchange fines and regulations

Overview of California State Ballast Water Management and noncompliance penalties.

PPR 11 makes progress on significant environmental issues

The 11th session of the IMO Sub-committee on Pollution Prevention & Response (PPR 11) from 19 to 23 February 2024 made progress on developing guidelines on in-water cleaning, reducing the risk of plastic pellet losses from freight containers and discharge water from exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) into the aquatic environment. BIMCO submissions played a significant part in the future actions to be undertaken by the sub-committee.

International Maritime Organization bans toxic paint substance cybutryne

At the 76th session of the Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC 76), the IMO has prohibited the use of cybutryne in antifouling systems (AFS) from 1 January 2023, as studies have proven that the substance is harmful to a variety of marine organisms.

International Maritime Organization bans toxic paint substance cybutryne

At the 76th session of the Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC 76), the IMO has prohibited the use of cybutryne in antifouling systems (AFS) from 1 January 2023, as studies have proven that the substance is harmful to a variety of marine organisms.

First global standard for ship hull cleaning essential for marine ecosystems

BIMCO, the world’s largest shipping association, has moved a step closer to finishing a global set of guidelines needed to protect the marine environment from invasive species and reduce CO2 emissions. Currently, there is no common global standard for cleaning ships’ hulls to avoid transferring invasive aquatic species, nor for the potentially damaging debris washed off in the process.

MEPC 80 – Summary of Outcomes

Whilst the meeting was dominated by discussions on the revised strategy on GHG emissions the 80th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80) also managed to address several other matters related to the protection of the marine environment – including progress on ballast water management, designation of a PSSA in the NW Mediterranean, and guidelines on life cycle GHG intensity of marine fuels.