A shipowner has successfully made a claim against its vessel manager after a ballast water discharge error off the US.

Insurer International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) warned that failure to keep a proper onboard record of regulatory and legislative changes can have costly consequences for shipowners and their intermediaries.

The claim arose when the crew of an unnamed ship that frequently traded to US ports found itself in contravention of state legislation when they conducted deballasting operations en route to California more than 50 nautical miles out from the coast.