MEMBER ALERT Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., Manager One Battery Park Plaza 31 st Fl., New York, NY 10004 USA Tel: +1 212 847 4500 Fax: +1 212 847 4599 https://www.american-club.com American Club Member Alert – August 2 8 , 20 2 3 1 AUGUST 28, 2023 REPUBLIC OF KOREA: REQUIREMENTS FOR VESSELS HAVING TAKEN UP BALLAST WATER IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF EASTERN JAPAN As of August 24, 2023, vessels entering any ports of the Republic of Korea, which have taken up ballast water from ports in the prefectures of the east coast of Japan (being Aomori, Iwate, Fukushima, Miyagi, Ibaragi and Chiba) are required to comply with the following procedures: 1. Vessels entering Korean ports must submit a ballast water reporting form 24 hours prior to entering the Korean port. There will be guidance provided by local agents when vessels request the forms as to what documents will be required to obtain port clearance. Agents will input the relevant details into the PORT-MIS administrative support system that helps with arrival and departures for vessels. 2. Vessels planning to discharge ballast water in Korean waters after taking on ballast water must exchange their ballast water outside of Korean waters prior to entering Korean ports. If sailing northward, the ballast water exchange operations must take place between the passage of the Tsugaru Strait and 135  30’E. If sailing southward (e.g., through the Kanmon Strait), the ballast water exchange must be made between 34  35’N and 135  30’E. 3. Vessels not planning to discharge ballast in Korean waters after taking on ballast water in the specified places in Japan must submit evidence of not having discharged ballast water to the relevant Region Maritime Affairs and Fisheries office via email at least one hour before departure which includes (1) copy of the ballast water record book, (2) logbook, (3) ballast water management system (BWMS) operational record, and (4) photos that show the vessel’s ballast water tank capacity. Officers from the Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office will conduct on board inspections to check whether ballast water exchanges have been made or not by taking one-liter samples of MEMBER ALERT Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., Manager One Battery Park Plaza 31 st Fl., New York, NY 10004 USA Tel: +1 212 847 4500 Fax: +1 212 847 4599 https://www.american-club.com American Club Member Alert – August 2 8 , 20 2 3 2 ballast water to check for radioactivity using mobile measuring equipment. The tests are expected to take approximately one hour, and ballast water exchange will be permitted for vessels with negative test results. If the test result is found to be positive, ballast water exchange will be prohibited. Your Managers recommend that Members take note of this information and be guided accordingly, and thank Club correspondent Spark International for their assistance in providing this update.