Every commercial vessel with ballast tanks bound for a U.S. port must submit a ballast water reporting form to the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse (NBIC), a joint program of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the U.S. Coast Guard.1National Ballast Information Clearinghouse. Welcome to the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse You can file through a browser-based Web App or a downloadable PDF on the NBIC website, and the current version of the form (OMB 1625-0069) expires October 31, 2026.2National Ballast Information Clearinghouse. PDF Form The rule applies even if the voyage never left the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, so coastal and inland trips are not automatically excused.3eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2060 – Reporting Requirements
Do You Need to File
The obligation falls on the master, owner, operator, agent, or person in charge of any vessel subject to 33 CFR Part 151, Subpart D that is heading for a U.S. port or anchorage.3eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2060 – Reporting Requirements Container ships, bulk carriers, tankers, cruise ships, and any other vessel with ballast tanks are in scope. The operative question is where the vessel is headed, not where the voyage began.
Crude oil tankers engaged in coastwise trade are the main carve-out. They are exempt from ballast water management, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements under 33 CFR 151.2015.4eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2015 – Exemptions Check the full list in that section before assuming any other vessel qualifies; most commercial traffic does not.
What to Gather Before You Open the Form
The form pulls together three categories of information. Collecting it in advance prevents backtracking and validation errors.
Vessel Information
Have the vessel’s name, International Maritime Organization (IMO) number (or another official identification number if no IMO number has been issued), country of registry, owner or operator name, and the vessel’s type and tonnage.3eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2060 – Reporting Requirements If the vessel uses a Coast Guard type-approved Ballast Water Management System, have the system name and manufacturer ready. The USCG Marine Safety Center maintains a register of approved systems and pending applications.5United States Coast Guard. Ballast Water Management
Voyage Information
You will enter the port and date of arrival, the last port and country of call, the next port and country of call, and the name and contact details of the person submitting the report.3eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2060 – Reporting Requirements Verify dates and port names before typing. The NBIC’s validation tool flags mismatches in these fields.
Ballast Water Details
This is the most data-heavy part. You need the vessel’s total ballast water capacity, total number of ballast tanks, total volume of ballast water currently on board, the number of tanks actually in ballast, and the ballast water management method used.3eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2060 – Reporting Requirements
For each tank being discharged into U.S. waters or to a reception facility, the form asks for the tank’s numerical designation, type, and capacity; the source of the ballast water (date loaded, location, and volume); and, if a mid-ocean exchange was performed, the date, location, volume, and salinity of the water both before and after the exchange.3eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2060 – Reporting Requirements
One trap worth flagging. The form makes you pick a single unit of measurement (cubic meters, metric tons, or gallons) from a pull-down menu, and that choice applies to every volume entry on the entire report. Convert everything to the same unit before you start typing. Each ballast event gets its own line, and events for each tank must be listed in reverse date order, most recent discharge event first.2National Ballast Information Clearinghouse. PDF Form
Web App or PDF
The NBIC website offers two submission paths.1National Ballast Information Clearinghouse. Welcome to the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse The Web App is the smoother option when connectivity is reliable: it validates entries in real time and lets you submit from the browser. The PDF suits crews entering data at sea with limited connectivity. You complete it offline and upload it later through the NBIC portal.
Both formats include built-in logic checks. Before finalizing, run the Validate or Check function. The system will highlight fields that need correction: a missing IMO number, a date in the wrong format, a blank tank entry. Clearing those errors before submission prevents the most common bounce-back, which is incomplete data the NBIC system cannot process.
When to Submit
The filing window depends on destination, not voyage length.
- Great Lakes from outside the EEZ: submit at least 24 hours before the vessel arrives in Montreal, Quebec. Non-U.S. and non-Canadian flag vessels may use the St. Lawrence Seaway Ballast Water Reporting Form as an alternative.3eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2060 – Reporting Requirements
- Hudson River north of the George Washington Bridge from outside the EEZ: submit at least 24 hours before the vessel enters New York, NY.3eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2060 – Reporting Requirements
- All other U.S. ports and places: submit no later than 6 hours after arrival at the port of destination, or before departure from that port, whichever comes first.3eCFR. 33 CFR 151.2060 – Reporting Requirements
Most arrivals fall in the third category, where the deadline runs after arrival rather than before. If the voyage plan or ballast operations change after you file, submit an amended report so the NBIC database reflects your current discharge intentions.
Submitting and Keeping Confirmation
From the Web App, click submit once internal validation passes. From the PDF, upload the completed file through the NBIC portal. The system processes the data and adds it to the national tracking database.
After NBIC receives a completed report, it may send an electronic confirmation to the submitter. Keep this receipt in the vessel’s records. Inspectors routinely ask for it during boardings. Note the limit of what the confirmation means: it acknowledges that the report was received, but it is not an approval to conduct ballasting operations and is not required before ballasting can take place.1National Ballast Information Clearinghouse. Welcome to the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse The NBIC collects and analyzes data; it does not have authority over vessel ballast operations themselves.
Penalties for Missing or Late Reports
Failing to file or filing late exposes the vessel and its operators to civil penalties. Under the Great Lakes and Hudson River provisions in 33 CFR 151.1518, a violation can result in a civil penalty of up to $27,500 per day, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense.6eCFR. 33 CFR 151.1518 – Penalties for Failure to Conduct Ballast Water Management Penalty amounts are periodically adjusted for inflation, so the maximum in effect at the time of a violation may be higher than the base figure in the regulation.
Changes Coming Under VIDA
The Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA) is reshaping ballast water regulation. EPA published its final rule on national discharge standards in 2024, and the Coast Guard has a two-year window following that rule to finalize corresponding implementing regulations.7U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Vessel Incidental Discharge Act Once both agencies’ rules are final, effective, and enforceable, states will lose the ability to impose discharge standards stricter than the federal framework.
Watch for changes to the form itself or to submission procedures as the Coast Guard’s rules take shape. The current form version expires October 31, 2026, which aligns with the window in which new rules could take effect.2National Ballast Information Clearinghouse. PDF Form