The Coast Guard published updated Ballast Water Management Recordkeeping and Reporting requirements on November 24, 2015. Beginning February 22, 2016, the reporting was scheduled to transition to a new reporting form as part of these updated regulations. The Coast Guard expects the new reporting process to benefit both government and industry as reduces the number of ballast water reports requiring correction.

Unfortunately, since, the new form became available only as of February 19, 2016, the Coast Guard recognizes that this does not provide adequate time for industry to adjust and adopt the new form. To address this situation, National Ballast Water Information Clearinghouse (NBIC) will continue to process ballast water reports using the old form to provide a transition period.

While NBIC will continue to process the old form, we expect vessel owners and operators to adjust such that vessels discharging ballast to U.S. waters will use the new form by May 1, 2016.

Please visit the NBIC website for details.

Thank you for your understanding.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.