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"Ballast water" is pumped in from the sea to maintain vessels' stability and balance. However, as the ballast water may carry local aquatic organisms, the "Ballast Water Treatment System" has been installed on our vessels to eliminate invasive aquatic organisms and pathogens species contained in the ballast water in order to avoid harming the marine environment and ecological balance. In accordance with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM), Yang Ming has installed ballast water treatment equipment on our ships and developed new editions of the Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP) for the ships. Relevant ballast water management practices are subject to Port State Control (PSC) inspections and meet all the requirements of port states.
2023 Achievements
🌟 There were no major leakage incidents in 2023
☑️ YM UPWARD, YM UTILITY, and YM ETERNITY, and submitted a new Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP)
☑️ As of the end of 2023, the Company's 54 own ships have been installed with ballast water systems, accounting for about 93.10%
📝 We expect to install ballast water equipment on all Yang Ming's ships by Q2 2024.
BIODIVERSITY
The research project titled “Research and Discussion on the Ballast Water Treatment Methods Applicable to Cargo Ships” was commissioned by Yang Ming and National Taiwan Ocean University to the “YM-NTOU Framework – Yang Ming Think Tank” in 2022 to analyze the cost-effectiveness and biological treatment effect of chemical agents in treating vessel ballast water. Through such research plans, the ballast water treatment mechanism for the Company’s vessels is reviewed in a strict and responsible manner. We also continue to look for more appropriate ways to reduce the impact of ballast water on marine ecology.
Plan for Vessel Speed Reduction to Protect Blue Whales
Between May and November every year, to prevent ships from colliding with blue whales, humpback whales, fin whales, and other endangered large marine animals in Southern California and San Francisco Bay waters and allow the whales to migrate to the waters for foraging, the Company decreases the speed of the fleet to below 10 knots in continuation of the Company's support of the "Protecting Blue Whales & Blue Skies" Program hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) since 2016. In recognition of Yang Ming's effort, we were presented with a Sapphire award which is the highest honor in 2023.
Great Barrier Reef Protection
The fleet call at the Port of Sydney, Port of Melbourne, and Port of Brisbane in Australia. In sailing all the way from any Asian port to the aforementioned ports, low-sulphur fuels containing less than 0.5% of sulphur are used. Instead of the core waters of the Great Barrier Reef, our ships navigate the Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) waters east of the Great Barrier Reef according to route recommendations from Weathernews Inc. to conserve the coral reef, demonstrating Yang Ming's contribution and determination to protect the marine ecological environment.
Asian Gypsy Moth Regulations
The Company's fleet observes the announcement on Asian gypsy moths (AGMs) made jointly by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to take the following measures for ships docked in the AGM supervision area during the certain risk period:
- Accredited certification bodies inspect the ships and certify that they are free of AGMs.
- Ships must arrive at North American ports without AGMs. If an AGM is discovered after a ship's arrival at a port, the port authority may require the ship to be out of port for cleaning, and the ship must reapply for entry into the port after it has completely cleared the AGM to reduce the potential risk of any AGM entering North America. To avoid delays in the sailing schedule, carriers must conduct intensive ship self-inspections before arrival at port to find and remove (scrape) any AGM, and properly dispose of or destroy all egg masses and AGMs in any state before entering the ports of the United States and Canada.
- The ships should provide a list of ports that they called at in the past 2 years to their Canadian or American agents at least 96 hours before arrival at any Northern American ports.
Commitment to Banning the Transport of "Shark Fins"
Since 2015, Yang Ming has joined a global ban on shark fins to protect natural resources. Shark fins are a controversial commodity whose trading activities have caused serious damage to the marine ecosystem and shark populations. We are well aware that sharks, as an important part of the marine ecosystem, are crucial to maintaining the ecological balance of the ocean. Therefore, we have firmly announced that the transportation of goods with "shark fin" contained in the trade name is prohibited and included in the control of our booking system. Furthermore, we will actively participate in the global movement to ban the trading of shark fins. We recognize that this measure may have an impact on some businesses, but we firmly believe that this is an important step that must be taken to protect the sustainable development of the marine ecosystem and shark populations. Our agents are requested to comply with this requirement and work together to achieve the goal of banning trade in shark fins in order to promote sustainable development and protect our marine ecological environment.
Container and Ship Paints
The bamboo wood floors of the Company's containers must meet Yang Ming's testing requirements. Before assembly, the flooring undergoes permanent preservative treatments according to the container quarantine and inspection procedures of the Australian Federal Departments of Health and Transport and in accordance with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service's requirements. In addition, we also plan to use FSC-certified bamboo wood floors in new containers in a progressive manner. After use, all containers must be fully cleaned and free of organic substances in compliance with the requirements of the Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL) in each pre-trip inspection. In addition, new, tin-free ship paints are used for hulls to avoid ocean pollution, maintaining biodiversity.