USCG fines vessel for unauthorized ballast water discharge

The US Coast Guard issued a $5,000 fine to the owners of a foreign freight vessel, for unauthorized ballast water discharge into the Willamette River in Portland, on August 16.

During a routine port state control ballast water examination on the 590-foot bulk freighter ANSAC Moon Bear, marine inspectors, from Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Portland, discovered that the vessel had discharged untreated ballast water into the Willamette River on three separate occasions, during port calls in 2017.

As part of the port state control exam, log books were reviewed during administrative evaluations by the marine inspectors, which led to the ballast water discharge discovery.

Shortly after issuance of the notice of violation fine, the company operating the vessel paid the fine with minimal disruption to the vessels schedule.

“These regulations are essential to protecting our marine environment as untreated ballast water may pose serious ecological, economic, and health problems due to the multitude of marine species carried in ships’ ballast water” noted Capt. Thomas Griffitts, commanding officer MSU Portland.

As a result, USCG reminds that the purpose of the U.S. ballast water management regulations is to implement the provisions of the Non-indigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990.

“This is a recent reminder that vessels have an obligation to ensure compliance with the mandatory rules and regulations that protect U.S. waters…Violations of the U.S. ballast water regulations can result in costly delays to vessels and civil enforcement action against the vessel’s master, owners, or operators”, USCG pointed out.