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U.S. COAST GUARD
MARINE SAFETY CENTER

WASHINGTON, D.C

Ballast Water Management Type Approval Information

Approved BWMS and Status of Applications	MSC provides a listing of BWMSs under review, and their current type approval status.
Type Approval Certificates	In response to widespread interest from industry, the Coast Guard posts copies of BWMS type approval certificates here.
FAQs	Frequently asked questions regarding ballast water, including useful discussion on the specifics of the type approval process. Also, CG-OES issued a letter to all ILs to answer questions about assessing design limitations, which may be found here.
Letters of Intent (LOI)	The LOI Register lists the system name and manufacturer for each system actively pursuing U.S. Coast Guard type approval, with the date of all required notifications that have been submitted to MSC.
BWMS Type Approval Review Checklist	The BWMS Type Approval Review Checklist is provided to give submitters an opportunity to cross reference between certain approval requirements of 46 CFR 162.060 and their application documentation. A completed checklist, while not required, will help facilitate our review of your type approval application.
BWMS Guidance/Policy	General Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) Type Approval Guidance and Policy Letters
Accepted Independent Laboratories (ILs)	The official listing of Coast Guard ILs accepted for evaluation, inspection and testing of Ballast Water Management Systems in accordance with 46 CFR 162.060 can be found at the Coast Guard Maritime Information Exchange (CGMIX). Select "Ballast Water Management Systems - 162.060" from the "Approval Series Name" drop-down menu, and click Search.
Distribution to Coast Guard Accepted Independent Laboratories	The Coast Guard has received a number of formal and informal inquiries requesting clarification on how an Independent Laboratory (IL) should be assessing the system design limitations as stated by the manufacturer. This letter provides amplifying guidance for evaluating manufacturer-identified operational limitations during type approval testing of ballast water management systems (BWMS).
IL Checklist	The IL Checklist is an optional document that can supplement a complete IL application for facilities seeking Coast Guard acceptance for evaluation, inspection, and testing of Ballast Water Management Systems in accordance with 46 CFR 162.060. The IL Checklist is intended to be completed by a test facility and used by the Coast Guard to evaluate the facility against the landbased and/or shipboard test requirements of 46 CFR 162.060-26 and -28. The completed IL Checklist should be forwarded to the Coast Guard (CG-OES-3) with the complete IL application.
Existing Data and Test Facility Acceptability	BWMS manufacturers considering an application for U.S. type approval, to include existing test data generated during foreign type approval testing, have the option to request the U.S. Coast Guard’s acceptance of the original testing organization(s) before proceeding with preparing and submitting a full U.S. type approval application. The document included here provides an outline that identifies essential information necessary for the U.S. Coast Guard to make such a determination and may or may not be all-inclusive. This visual aid is intended to clarify how the sequence of events for type approval using existing data differs from the standard process.
Type Approval Points of Contact	For all BWMS type approval questions, except questions related to Independent Laboratory requirements and acceptance, contact the Coast Guard Marine Safety Center (MSC) at (206) 831-3899 or msc@uscg.mil. For Independent Laboratory requirements, contact the Coast Guard Headquarters, Environmental Standards Division, (CG-OES-3), Attn: Ms. Roshanak Aryan-Nejad, at Roshanak.Aryan-Nejad@uscg.mil.

Other Ballast Water Management System Links

Office of Operating and Environmental Standards (CG-OES)	Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program
Regulations and Policy Documents	Alternate Management Systems (AMS)
Shipboard Technology Evaluation Program (STEP)

Last Modified: 10/26/2017