33 CFR 151.2050: Ballast water practices for vessels

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section lists practices that vessels with ballast water tanks must follow in the waters of the United States. They cover where to avoid ballast uptake, cleaning of tanks and hulls, a vessel-specific ballast water management plan, and training.

Applies toThe master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of any vessel equipped with ballast water tanks that operates in the waters of the United States.

What it says

  1. The vessel must avoid discharging or taking up ballast water in areas within, or that may directly affect, marine sanctuaries, marine preserves, marine parks, or coral reefs.

    33 CFR 151.2050(a)“Avoid the discharge or uptake of ballast water in areas within, or that may directly affect, marine sanctuaries, marine preserves, marine parks, or coral reefs.”

  2. The vessel must minimize or avoid ballast water uptake in the listed areas and situations, such as areas near sewage outfalls or dredging operations, and in darkness when bottom-dwelling organisms may rise up in the water column.

    33 CFR 151.2050(b)“Minimize or avoid uptake of ballast water in the following areas and situations:”

  3. The vessel must clean ballast tanks regularly to remove sediments. Sediments must be disposed of in accordance with local, State, and Federal regulations.

    33 CFR 151.2050(c)“Clean the ballast tanks regularly to remove sediments. Sediments must be disposed of in accordance with local, State, and Federal regulations.”

  4. While in the waters of the United States, the vessel must discharge only the minimal amount of ballast water essential for vessel operations.

    33 CFR 151.2050(d)“Discharge only the minimal amount of ballast water essential for vessel operations while in the waters of the United States.”

  5. The vessel must rinse anchors and anchor chains when the anchor is retrieved, to remove organisms and sediments at their places of origin.

    33 CFR 151.2050(e)“Rinse anchors and anchor chains when the anchor is retrieved to remove organisms and sediments at their places of origin.”

  6. The vessel must maintain a ballast water management (BWM) plan developed specifically for the vessel. The plan must include the items listed in the paragraph, such as detailed safety procedures and an English, French, or Spanish translation if the vessel's working language is another language.

    33 CFR 151.2050(g)“Maintain a ballast water management (BWM) plan that has been developed specifically for the vessel”

  7. The vessel must train the master, operator, person in charge, and crew on ballast water and sediment management and treatment procedures.

    33 CFR 151.2050(h)“Train the master, operator, person in charge, and crew on the application of ballast water and sediment management and treatment procedures.”

  8. When discharging ballast water to a reception facility in the United States, the vessel must discharge only to facilities that have an NPDES permit to discharge ballast water.

    33 CFR 151.2050(i)“discharge only to reception facilities that have an NPDES permit to discharge ballast water.”

Common questions

Who must follow the ballast water practices in 33 CFR 151.2050?

The master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of any vessel with ballast water tanks operating in the waters of the United States must follow them.

“The master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of any vessel equipped with ballast water tanks that operates in the waters of the United States must follow these practices:”

Where must vessels avoid taking up ballast water?

Vessels must avoid discharge or uptake in or near marine sanctuaries, preserves, parks, or coral reefs. They must minimize or avoid uptake in other listed areas, such as those near sewage outfalls or dredging operations.

“Avoid the discharge or uptake of ballast water in areas within, or that may directly affect, marine sanctuaries, marine preserves, marine parks, or coral reefs.”

What must a ballast water management plan include?

The plan must include detailed safety procedures and detailed fouling maintenance and sediment removal procedures. It must also include other listed items, such as a translation into English, French, or Spanish if the vessel's working language is another language.

“A translation of the plan into English, French, or Spanish if the vessel's working language is another language.”

The text of 33 CFR 151.2050

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Additional requirements—nonindigenous species reduction practices

The master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of any vessel equipped with ballast water tanks that operates in the waters of the United States must follow these practices:

(a) Avoid the discharge or uptake of ballast water in areas within, or that may directly affect, marine sanctuaries, marine preserves, marine parks, or coral reefs.

(b) Minimize or avoid uptake of ballast water in the following areas and situations:

(1) Areas known to have infestations or populations of harmful organisms and pathogens (e.g., toxic algal blooms).

(2) Areas near sewage outfalls.

(3) Areas near dredging operations.

(4) Areas where tidal flushing is known to be poor or times when a tidal stream is known to be turbid.

(5) In darkness, when bottom-dwelling organisms may rise up in the water column.

(6) Where propellers may stir up the sediment.

(7) Areas with pods of whales, convergence zones, and boundaries of major currents.

(c) Clean the ballast tanks regularly to remove sediments. Sediments must be disposed of in accordance with local, State, and Federal regulations.

(d) Discharge only the minimal amount of ballast water essential for vessel operations while in the waters of the United States.

(e) Rinse anchors and anchor chains when the anchor is retrieved to remove organisms and sediments at their places of origin.

(f) Remove fouling organisms from the vessel's hull, piping, and tanks on a regular basis and dispose of any removed substances in accordance with local, State and Federal regulations.

(g) Maintain a ballast water management (BWM) plan that has been developed specifically for the vessel and that will allow those responsible for the plan's implementation to understand and follow the vessel's BWM strategy and comply with the requirements of this subpart. The plan must include—

(1) Detailed safety procedures;

(2) Actions for implementing the mandatory BWM requirements and practices;

(3) Detailed fouling maintenance and sediment removal procedures;

(4) Procedures for coordinating the shipboard BWM strategy with Coast Guard authorities;

(5) Identification of the designated officer(s) in charge of ensuring that the plan is properly implemented;

(6) Detailed reporting requirements and procedures for ports and places in the United States where the vessel may visit; and

(7) A translation of the plan into English, French, or Spanish if the vessel's working language is another language.

(h) Train the master, operator, person in charge, and crew on the application of ballast water and sediment management and treatment procedures.

(i) When discharging ballast water to a reception facility in the United States, discharge only to reception facilities that have an NPDES permit to discharge ballast water.

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.