VGP Compliance Monitoring - www.seastars-marine.com

VGP COMPLIANCE MONITORING

Ballast water, Gray water, Bilge water and EGCS Washwater Sampling & Testing

The current Vessel General Permit (VGP 2013) or VIDA regulations require regular compliance testing which is enforced by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The main aim here is reduce the environmental impact of discharges, such as ballast water, that are incidental to the normal operation of commercial vessels and establishes a framework for the regulation of discharges incidental to the normal operation of a vessel under a new Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 312(p).

On 19th December 2013, the revised Vessel General Permit (VGP) was issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States of America. The VGP mandates the use of Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs) in all oil-to-water interfaces (e.g. stern tube seals, thruster seals) on all merchant vessels of 79 feet or longer that are sailing in US coastal and inland waters.

The US EPA requires vessels sailing in US coastal and inland waters to have a VGP, which will be checked by the US Coast Guard. Samples must be taken as below tables from the effluents:

 Ballast water

 Bilgewater / oily water separator

 Graywater

 Scrubber water

Monitoring data must be submitted to the EPA once per year before February 28th of the year after data are collected.

IN WHICH WATER DO THE VGP REQUIREMENTS APPLY

?

Ballast

Water

** : If the sampling results are below permit limits for two consecutive events, the monitoring can reduce to one time per year after the first year. However, if any testing results exceed the permit limit. The monitoring must return to 2 times per year until they have two times additional results below the permit limit.

Gray

Water

EGCS

Washwater

Bilge

Water

Vessels sailing in US waters must comply with the US maritime regulations on ballast water discharge and exchange, essentially as the US is not a signatory of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention.

This means that if your ship(s) uses a Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) and you call port in a US port, you must have your Vessel General Permit. As part of the VGP, you need periodic testing of your Ballast Water.

Not having your VGP in place, means you may receive a fine by the USCG.

 Seastars Marine Services can carry out VGP test as per requirement of USCG and EPA 2013.

 As Class approved service supplier, we ensure maximum cost effectiveness and solid deliverables in terms of manpower and testing.

Consult with our experts for more information: tech@seastars-marine.com

Seastars Marine Services Co.,Ltd.

Phone：+86 13621650701

Email：sales@seastars-marine.com

Address：No.2 Houtang Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City,China

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