| MARINE SITE INVESTIGATION OFF TSEUNG KWAN O AREA 137 Hong Kong |
| APPROVED BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT California, United States |
| Marine site investigation off Tseung Kwan O Area 137 |
| Tuesday, July 18, 2017, Hong Kong |
| For approximately 2 months, marine site investigation works involving drilling of boreholes will be carried out within the area bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (C) and the adjacent shoreline: (A) 22 deg. 16.341’N / 114 deg. 16.118’E (B) 22 deg. 16.443’N / 114 deg. 16.077’E (C) 22 deg. 16.472’N / 114 deg. 16.164’EThe works will be carried out by two flat top barges. Two tugboats will provide assistance. A working area of approximately 50 metres around the barges will be established. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the barges. The hours of work will be from 0700 to 1900 hours. No works will be carried out on Sundays and public holidays. Vessels employed for the works will stay in the works area outside the hours of work. Vessels engaged in the operations will display signals as prescribed in international and local regulations. Vessels navigating in the vicinity should proceed with caution. (For information about operations in Hong Kong contact GAC Hong Kong at shipping.hongkong@gac.com) Source: Government of Hong Kong SAR Marine Department Notice No. 108 of 2017 |
| Approved ballast water management |
| Tuesday, July 18, 2017, California, United States |
| The master, owner, operator, or person in charge of a vessel that arrives at a California port is authorized to manage their vessel’s ballast water using an alternative, environmentally sound method of management that has been approved by the California State Lands Commission or the USCG as being at least as effective as ballast water exchange, using mid-ocean waters, in removing or killing nonindigenous aquatic species.
Because any USCG Type Approved BWMS must be at least as effective as mid-ocean ballast water exchange, use of any of the Type Approved BWMS for the management of ballast water prior to discharge within California waters shall qualify, and therefore may be used in lieu of ballast water exchange. Vessels using USCG Type Approved BWMS in California waters must indicate the specific alternative method/management system used on the Ballast Water Management Report. Vessels discharging ballast water treated with USCG Type Approved BWMS in California waters must also submit both the “Ballast Water Treatment Technology Annual Reporting Form” and the “Ballast Water Treatment Supplemental Reporting Forms”. (For further details or information about operations in US ports contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com) Source: Extracts from California State Lands Commission letter dated 13 July 2017 |
