[미국] USCG, 선박 평형수 규제 강화로 파이프 유형 승인 확대

미국 USCG(미국해안경비대)가 선박 평형수(ballast water)에 대한 규제를 강화하면서 이에 사용되는 파이프 유형의 승인도 확대되고 있다.

이미 미국 형식 승인을 받은 3가지 시스템 외에도 최소한 2 가지 이상의 프로그램이 파이프 라인에 있으며, 이번 주에는 Suncoin이 최종 신청서를 제출하면서 Ecolor와 합류했다. 합격 한 경우 USCG가 미국의 안정기 규제를 강화하기 시작함에 따라 이미 승인 된 3 대 (Optimarin, Ocean Saver 및 Alfa Laval)와 함께 Ecochlor 및 SunRui 시스템이 유리하게 작용할 수 있다.

미국 시스템 하에서 승인을 얻는 것은 선택한 테스트 방법에 USCG 승인이 없기 때문에 IMO 테스트를 반복해야 하는 일부에게는 속도가 느려지게 된다. SunRui 응용 프로그램은 지난 1 월에 제출되었으며 미국 형식 승인 프로세스에 따라 응용 프로그램이 승인, 거부 또는 추가 정보를 요청하기 전에 USCG 평가를 거친다.

지난 3월 상업 규제 및 표준 USCG 이사인 제프리 랜츠(Jeffrey Lantz) CMA 수석 연구원은 “네번째 시스템은 검토 마지막 단계에 있으며 곧 완료되어야 한다”면서 SunRui 응용 프로그램에 간접적으로 언급했다.

지금까지 언급한 다섯 가지를 포함하여 45가지 시스템이 테스트의 대상이 되는 LOI(Letters of Intent; 대상 기업에 대하여 투자 의사를 표하는 문서)를 발행했으며 그 중 몇 가지는 테스트 프로그램을 완료하는 도중에 잘 진행되고 있습니다. 45 - Aquametro와 Kuraray 중 2개사는 올해 3월에 LOI를 제출했으며, 2013년부터 2016년까지 다른 LOI를 제출했다.

[원문보기]

More type-approval in the pipe as US ramps up ballast water enforcement

In addition to the three systems already US Type-approved at least two more are in the pipeline, with Ecochlor this week joining SunRui in having submitted their final applications.

If accepted the Ecochlor and SunRui systems along with the three already approved (Optimarin, Ocean Saver and Alfa Laval) may gain an advantage as the USCG begins to ratchet up enforcement of the ballast regulations in the US.

Gaining approval under the US system is a slow process made slower for some that have been obliged to repeat IMO tests because the chosen method of testing did not have USCG approval. The SunRui application was submitted in January and in accordance with the US type-approval process, the application then undergoes USCG evaluation before it is approved, rejected or requests made for further information.

Last month Jeffrey Lantz, Director of Commercial Regulations and Standard USCG, speaking at CMA referred indirectly to the SunRui application saying, “a fourth system is in the final stages of review and should be completed shortly”.

So far 45 systems including the five mentioned have issued Letters of Intent (LOIs) to undergo testing and several of those are reportedly well along the way to completing test programmes. Two of the 45-Aquametro and Kuraray submitted their LOIs in March this year with the other LOIs spanning from 2013 to 2016.

The number of LOIs submitted is well below the number of systems with IMO type-approval which may indicate that some makers are not planning to apply for US-type approval or may even be contemplating a withdrawal from the market.

One reason why some of the testing programmes can take longer under the US process was explained to ShipInsight yesterday by Evoqua Water Technologies’ Business Manager, Ballast Water (USA), Matt Granitto who said that Evoqua, along with other system makers had chosen NSF International as the Independent Laboratory to undertake the tests on their system.

Apparently, when conducting tests, NSF insists on using natural populations of organisms rather than an artificial mix as some other ILs do. This can be slower because, the density of natural populations can be seasonal meaning tests are not possible to a fixed timetable. Granitto does expect that the tests on the Evoqua system will be completed and US type-approval south this year.

In his CMA speech, Lantz also referred to the US extension programme highlighting that the number of extensions being permitted to ships is reducing now that type-approved systems are available. “Now that we have type approved systems, it is no longer automatically considered that a ship cannot comply with the discharge standard. Additional justification and reasons need to be provided, which we need to consider before granting an extension”, he said.

Lantz also said, “In addition to revising our extension policy, we are also ramping up our enforcement posture to ensure compliance with the regulations. We have been working with our field offices to better educate and inform them of the BWMS regulatory requirements and we are in the process of developing formal enforcement guidance.

To date, most of the compliance issues that we have identified include expired extension letters, inoperable AMS, operating past compliance date with no extension or AMS and discharging untreated ballast water in US waters. Recently, we have taken action to require ships to use their installed AMS, or in some cases, leave port in order to conduct deep ocean exchange.

 We’ve also taken penalty action against at least two ships that pumped out untreated, un-exchanged BW with no extension or AMS. In one case we are pursuing a civil penalty”.

[출처 = shipinsigh(twww.shipinsight.com) 2017년 4월 8일 / 자료제공 = NSF(www.nsf.org) ]