Shipping Federation of Canada Instructions to Masters

Re: Ballast Water Control Regulations - Atlantic Approach

Dear Captain,

The following document is a tool developed by the Shipping Federation of Canada (the Federation) to
help you comply with the Canadian Ballast Water Control and Management Regulations. The document
refers to the Regulations and TP 13617E, and to the Federation’s own recommendations which are
identified by our logo (

).

Please note that:

• These instructions are written for ships that trade internationally to and from Canada.

• These instructions do not apply to ships that trade solely within Canadian waters, the Great

Lakes, or to ships that trade solely between Canada and Saint-Pierre & Miquelon

1

.

PRIOR TO SAILING

Documents that must be on board to comply with Transport Canada, Seaway or USCG
requirements:

Document TC

Seaway

USCG

Ballast Water Management Plan

2

X X X

Ballast Water Management Records and
Reports submitted (retain these files for 2
years)

X X X

IMO Resolution A868(20)

X

X

X

Canada’s Ballast Water Control and
Management Regulations

X X

TP13617E (June 2006 version – the February
revision has not been released yet)

X X

Shipping Federation of Canada Code of Best
Practices for Ballast Water Management

X X

Transport Canada – Canadian Ballast Water
Reporting Form OR Seaway Ballast Water
Reporting Form (Great Lakes only) and
Directions for Submission

X X

US 33 CFR 151 Subparts C and D

X

X

70 Federal Register 51831

X

X

OMB Form OR Seaway Ballast Water
Reporting Form (Great Lakes only)

X

On-Board Equipment :

• A

refractometer (an instrument which measures the bending (refraction) of light through a liquid, which

can be used to measure the salinity of water).

• A log in which to record the results of the salinity of each ballast water tank.

Apply best practices when taking up ballast water before you sail to Canada.

1

Regs paragraph 2(1)

2

See description of the BW management plan in Regs paragraph 11, TP 13617E section 2.4

Shipping Federation of Canada – June 8, 2007

WHEN EN ROUTE

Reporting reminder: 96 hours prior to entering the Canadian territorial sea (12 n.m.), or as

soon as possible, send your ballast water report form by email to

[e-mail]

or by

fax to [phone], even if you have not been able to exchange all your tanks (in which case
you should indicate the reason why you have not proceeded to ballast exchange and your plans for
minimizing the risk of introduction of aquatic invasive species

3

).

• Ballast that will eventually be released in Canadian waters should have been exchanged with ocean

water (30 ppt salinity) before the ship reaches the Canadian EEZ. If this is not feasible (e.g. for safety
reasons), the ship may be able to use an alternative exchange zone in the Canadian EEZ or will have to
apply for special circumstances (see section entitled “Application for Special Circumstances”).

• The regulations apply to all water and sediments in a ballast tank, no matter how small the amount.

• Ballast is considered to be exchanged when a ship attains an efficiency of at least 95 per cent

volumetric exchange AND a ballast water salinity of at least 30 parts per thousand. If you use the
flow-though means of exchange, you must be able to demonstrate that 3 times the volume of the tank has
been pumped through, constituting 95% volumetric exchange

4

.

• Vessels with no ballast on board should rinse their tanks with ocean water 200 n.m. off the coast at every

possible opportunity

5

.

Start logging as detailed information as possible when you begin ballast water operations.

Keep decision-making records for situations subject to the exceptional circumstances provisions,
including times, vessel position, specific tanks, volume exchanged (or not) and specify safety reason.

• Vessels entering the Great Lakes are required to use the St. Lawrence Seaway form. For other

destinations in Canada, use the Transport Canada form.

The St. Lawrence Seaway requires a Pre Arrival Notice 96 hours prior to Seaway entry. A

preliminary ballast water report should accompany this notice even if the ship has not yet ballasted or
exchanged ballast en route to Canada. An amended report should be submitted 24 hours prior to arrival
at the Seaway, and this report should include salinity readings for all tanks.

• Record all tanks and clearly indicate which tanks will not be de-ballasted during the entire stay in

Canadian waters (not just the first port of arrival) and pay attention to Reg. 4.(3) and to questions 6 and 7
(b) of the reporting form.

• Potable water carried in ballast water tanks, for ship’s use and for trimming? tanks, should be reported.

• Keep copies of every submitted Ballast Water Reporting Form on board the ship for 2 years after

submission.

Transoceanic voyages: You should exchange ballast at least 200 miles from land AND in deep ocean
(at least 2000 metres depth)

6

.

Non-transoceanic voyages: Where your course does not take you 200 miles off the coast and into
water that has 2000 metres depth, exchange in an area situated at least 50 nautical miles from shore
where the water depth is at least 500 m

7

.

3

TP 13617E sections 5.1 to 5.3

4

Regs paragraph 8

5

TP 13617E subsection 7.1.2

6

Regs paragraph 6(1)

7

Regs paragraph 7(1), 7(2) and 7(3)

Shipping Federation of Canada – June 8, 2007

If the voyage is in direction of a port, offshore terminal or anchorage area on the Canadian east coast,
exchange in an area south of 43°30' north latitude where the water depth is at least 1000 m

8

.

• If on a non-transoceanic voyage to or from the Bay of Fundy: exchange in the waters of the Gulf of Maine

where the water depth is at least 100 m (see map below)

9

.

Traffic
to/from
the Bay
of
Fundy

Traffic
crossing
the Gulf of
Maine

Traffic heading to/from Nova
Scotia

Exemption:

Ships operating exclusively between ports, offshore terminals or anchorage areas situated on the US
East Coast north of Cape Cod approaching Canadian ports, offshore terminals or anchorage areas
located in the Bay of Fundy, the Atlantic Coast of Nova Scotia and the South or East Coast of
Newfoundland from a port are not required to exchange ballast or flush empty tanks

10

.

Check and document that the uptaken ballast water is of at least 30 ppt.

• On-Board Treatment: Ships using onboard ballast water treatment systems should ensure that all

operations are properly logged, either automatically or manually. Please note that as of May 2007,
Transport Canada has not approved any ballast water treatment system. Therefore, ships should seek
approval from Transport Canada to use a shipboard ballast water treatment system to avoid receipt of a
Letter of Retention

11

.

UPON ENTERING CANADIAN WATERS

If ballast water exchange operations were incomplete when you sent the 96-hour report and you

are now able to submit an amended form (including salinity readings), send it with your message to
ECAREG 24 hours prior to arrival at the Canadian EEZ (200 n.m.).

• If you have not been able to finish exchanging all the ballast water that you may need to release later

while in Canada, you may use the alternative exchange zones described below, or apply for special
circumstances.

Alternative Exchange Zones

• You can use the alternative exchange zones indicated below, when applicable:

8

Regs paragraph 6(4)(a) and 7(3)(a)

9

TP 13617E section 3.8

10

Regs paragraph 4(4)

11

TP 13617E section 4.4

Shipping Federation of Canada – June 8, 2007

a) If on a transoceanic voyage to the Great Lakes or St. Lawrence River between December 1 and

May 1: the Laurentian Channel east of 63° west longitude where the water depth is at least 300m,
provided that you advise the Minister of Transport via ECAREG

12

.

b) If the voyage is to Hudson Bay: an area in Hudson Straight east of 70° west longitude where the

water depth is at least 300 m

13

c) If the voyage is to the Higher Arctic: an area in Lancaster Sound east of 80° west longitude

14

Application for Special Circumstances

When you can’t exchange ballast water as above, and provided ou have sent a 96-hour report, you
must advise the Minister of Transport before you reach the Canadian territorial sea (12 miles from the
coast)

15

:

Marine Communications and Traffic Services (ECAREG) at
Fax: [phone]
Phone: [phone]
Telex: 019 22510

The Minister of Transport will determine, in consultation with the Master, the measures that will have to
be implemented to reduce the risk of introducing aquatic invasive species. The ship will then have to
implement the measures determined by the Minister and report accordingly

16

.

AT CANADIAN PORTS OF CALL

Be ready to provide all information regarding the origins of the water in each tank, ballast water

management procedures, and salinity readings, along with any information that the inspector may
deem relevant. Please refer to the inspection form included in this document and prepare information
accordingly.

• If a tank is found to be non-compliant, the inspector will issue a letter of retention, which will effectively

prohibit any release in Canadian waters of the ballast water contained in the tank.

Facilitate access to on board sampling and testing of ballast water and sediment by scientists,

including opening of ballast tank covers and safe access to ballast tanks in accordance with safety
procedures for entering enclosed spaces.

12

Regs paragraph 6(3) and 6(4)(a), TP 13617E section 3.9 and 3.10

13

Regs paragraph 6(4)(c) and 7(3)(c)

14

Regs paragraph 6(4)(d) and 7(3)(d)

15

Regs subsection 13(1)

16

Regs subsection 13(3) to 15(5) and section 14

Shipping Federation of Canada – June 8, 2007