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International standards organization ASTM International (ASTM), will be hosting a seminar next month entitled Seminar on Environmental Requirements for Comercial and Navy Ships for Efficient Maritime Operations and Effective Environmental Stewardship.

Held on Wednesday December 9th 2009 and sponsored by ASTM Committee F25 on Ships and Marine Technology, the seminar will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, in conjunction with the December 8-10 standards development meetings of Committee F25.

Commenting on the aims of the event, ASTM said "The desired outcome of this seminar is to identify areas where environmental standards should be developed to fill gaps to improve maritime operations and, at the same time, promote environmental stewardship."

The discussions will cover the entire standards spectrum in an effort to identify development opportunities where they will be most effective to benefit the United States maritime industry.

Participants will learn about the latest requirements for marine environmental protection of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG).

The seminar will focus on the following four areas with moderated discussion panels for each:

* Alternative Fuels and Air Emissions Reductions
* Ballast Water Treatment/IMO Ballast Water Convention
* Oily Water Separators
* Marine Sanitation Devices

A keynote address will be provided by a high-level representative of the U.S. Navy to discuss the Navy's green initiatives and other standardization issues.

An afternoon (invited) presentation will be provided by Lindy Johnson, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), regarding evolving noise reduction requirements for the maritime industry.

Who should attend?

ASTM Committee F25 encourages all who are concerned with maritime operations and their impact on the environment to attend and participate in this seminar, in an effort to improve maritime operations and environmental stewardship.

Details regarding the event can also be viewed in the Bunker Index events section at the following address:

www.bunkerindex.com/events/event.php?event_id=117

Technical Program

To view the technical program, (which includes presentation titles, presenters names, and times) please click on the link below:

http://myastm.astm.org/MEETINGS/SYMPOSIAPROGRAMS/F25ID1638.pdf