§ 151.2040 - Discharge of ballast water in extraordinary circumstances.

§ 151.2040 Discharge of ballast water in extraordinary circumstances.

(a) The Coast Guard will allow the master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of a vessel that cannot practicably meet the requirements of § 151.2025(a) of this subpart, either because its voyage does not take it into waters 200 nautical miles or greater from any shore for a sufficient length of time and the vessel retains ballast water onboard or because the master of the vessel has identified safety or stability concerns, to discharge ballast water in areas other than the Great Lakes and the Hudson River north of the George Washington Bridge.

(1) The Coast Guard will not allow such a discharge if the vessel is required to have a Coast Guard-approved ballast water management system (BWMS) per the implementation schedule found in § 151.2035(b) of this subpart.

(2) If the Coast Guard allows the discharge of ballast water as described in paragraph (a) of this section, the master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of the vessel must discharge only that amount of ballast water operationally necessary to ensure the safety of the vessel for cargo operations.

(3) Ballast water records must be made available to the local Captain of the Port (COTP) upon request.

(4) Vessels on a voyage to the Great Lakes or the Hudson River north of the George Washington Bridge must comply with the requirements of 33 CFR 151.1515.

(b) If the installed BWMS required by this subpart stops operating properly during a voyage, or the vessel's BWM method is unexpectedly unavailable, the person directing the movement of the vessel must ensure that the problem is reported to the nearest COTP or District Commander as soon as practicable. The vessel may continue to the next port of call, subject to the directions of the COTP or District Commander, as provided by part 160 of this chapter.

(1) The Coast Guard will normally allow a vessel that cannot practicably meet the requirements of § 151.2025(a)(1) of this subpart because its installed BWMS is inoperable, or the vessel's BWM method is unexpectedly unavailable, to employ one of the other ballast water management (BWM) methods listed in § 151.2025(a) of this subpart.

(2) If the master of the vessel determines that the vessel cannot employ other BWM methods due to the voyage or safety concerns listed in paragraph (a) of this section, the Coast Guard will normally allow the vessel to discharge ballast water in areas other than the Great Lakes and the Hudson River north of the George Washington Bridge.

(3) If the Coast Guard approves such an allowance, the vessel must discharge only that amount of ballast water operationally necessary to ensure the safety and stability of the vessel for cargo operations. Ballast water records must be made available to the local COTP upon request.

(c) Nothing in this subpart relieves the master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of a vessel of any responsibility, including ensuring the safety and stability of the vessel and the safety of the crew and passengers.