21/11/2006
USA: New Washington State Requirements - Advance Notice of Oil Transfer (ANT) System
Advice has been received from ECM Maritime Services* regarding new reporting requirements for vessels due to transfer bulk oil in the State of Washington. Such reports are to be submitted electronically via the Department of Ecology’s "Advance Notice of Oil Transfer" (ANT) system as from 25 November 2006. The party responsible for filing an ANT report is the "deliverer of the oil", which will generally be the shipowner or the terminal depending on whether the cargo is to be discharged or loaded.
ECM Maritime Services has prepared a Client Alert which provides useful advice on the new requirements. In addition the Department of Ecology has published a "Guide for Users of the Advance Notice of Oil Transfer (ANT) System" and a "Guide to Setting Up an Account for the Advance Notice of Transfer System".
Further information may be found at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/spills/rules/173-184.html
* ECM Maritime Services is a US-based provider of oil spill and crisis management services to the shipping industry.