Ballast Water Management Convention 2004, Panama Policy (MMC – 345)

The purpose of this Merchant Marine Circular is to inform that the Republic of Panama submitted to the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization, the accession of the Ballast Water Management Convention 2004, including a declaration in accordance with the recommendation contained in Resolution A.1088(28) on 19 October 2016, now superseded
by the Resolution MEPC.287(71) of 7 July 2017; and that the Convention entered into force on 8 September 2017.

Furthermore, it provides guidance and instructions to ensure compliance with the Ballast Water Management Convention 2004 adopted by the Republic of Panama by Law No. 41 of 12 September 2016, and the complementary IMO Resolutions and Circulars.

As well as give additional guidance and instructions in line with the amendment to regulation B-3 of the BWM Convention decision of the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC session 71) on the approval of the draft amended regulation B-3 of the BWM Convention, which will be circulated to Member States for adoption during MEPC 72 scheduled to be held from April 9 -13, 2018; and the draft MEPC resolution on Determination of the date referred to in regulation B-3, as amended, of the BWM Convention, which the Secretary-General will circulate immediately upon entry into force of the Convention. As per the draft documents the MEPC has resolved that, in lieu of the implementation schedule recommended in resolution A.1088(28) and notwithstanding the schedule set forth in regulation B-3 of the Convention, the Parties to the Ballast Water Management Convention should implement the draft amended regulation B-3 contained therein, immediately after entry into force of the Convention, with a view to avoiding the creation of a dual treaty regime during the time period between the entry into force of the Convention and the entry into force of the amended regulation B-3.