The Ballast Water Managament Convention
“Invasive marine species are one of the four greatest threats to the world’s oceans. Unlike other forms of marine pollution, such as oil spills, where ameliorative action can be taken and from which the environment will eventually recover, the impacts of invasive marine species are most often irreversible.” (source: International Maritime Organisation IMO).
The IMO developed and adopted “The International Convention for the control and management of ships ballast water and sediments, 2004” (Ballast Water Management Convention) with the aim of protecting the marine environment from the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water carried by ships.
According to IMO estimates, ships carry some 3 billion tons to 5 billion tons of ballast water globally each year.
The IMO developed and adopted “The International Convention for the control and management of ships ballast water and sediments, 2004” (Ballast Water Management Convention) with the aim of protecting the marine environment from the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water carried by ships.
According to IMO estimates, ships carry some 3 billion tons to 5 billion tons of ballast water globally each year.
An overview of the countries that ratified the convention
Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Congo, Cook Islands, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Palau, Panama, Peru, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Tuvalu. (Source: IMO)
A copy of the International Convention for the control and management of ship’s ballast water and sediments, 2004 can be found here.
The most important timeline can be summarized in a diagram as follows
Table 1. Timeline entry into force dates Ballast Water exchange and performance standards
The convention stipulates two standards for discharged Ballast Water:
D-1: Compliance with Ballast Water exchange standard:
• Ships performing a Ballast Water exchange shall do so with an efficiency of 95% volumetric exchange of Ballast Water. • For ships exchanging Ballast Water by the “Pumping through method”, pumping through three times the volume of each Ballast Water Tank shall be considered to meet the standard described. Pumping through less then three times the volume may be accepted provided the ship can demonstrate that at least 95% volumetric exchange is met.
D-2: Compliance with the Ballast Water performance standard:
• The Ballast Water performance standard requires minimum post-treatment concentrations of organisms both dependent on size as well as on specific types of organisms.
Table 2. Ballast Water performance standards
Important Note: The Ballast Water Management Convention has been ratified 8 September 2016 and will enter into force 8 September 2017.
Once the Ballast Water Management Convention has entered into force, all ships of 400 GRT and above will be required to have on board:
• A ships specific approved Ballast Water Management Plan approved by the administration. • A ballast Water record book • An approved Ballast Water Treatment system • An international Ballast Water Management certificate
Note: Ships below 400 GRT will be subject to national survey and certification regimes.
The entry into force date, after ratification, will be either the first scheduled drydocking after 1st January 2014 or 1st January 2016, depending on the year of ship construction and the Ballast Water tank capacity.
The U.S. Coast Guard Ballast Water Discharge Rule
The US Coastguard issued a final rule intended to reduce the importation of invasive species into the United States. The Ballast Water discharge rule entered into force on 21st June 2012.
The rule applies to both U.S. and foreign ships calling at U.S. ports and requires shipowners to install, operate and maintain a USCG approved ballast water management system to satisfy the treatment standards for living organisms in ballast water.
The Ballast Water performance standard according the rule is similar to the standard as indicated in the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention and can be found here.
The entry into force dates of the rule are similar to those as indicated in the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention and can be found here.
The main difference between the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention and the U.S. Coastguard Ballast Water discharge rule is that the latter rule entered into force already.
Ships subject to the rule also have the option of transferring ballast water at a facility that will treat and dispose off the water, using potable water for ballasting purposes or not discharging any ballast water into U.S. Waters at all.
AMS Approval
In order to meet the Ballast Water treatment standards, a Ballast Water Treatment system subject to USCG approval will need to be choosen by the shipowner if sailing within U.S. Waters. AMS acceptance by the USCG is a temporary designation given to a ballast water treatment system approved by a foreign administration. Vessel operators may us an AMS to manage their ballast water discharges in lieu of ballast water exchange, whilst the treatment system undergoes approval testing to coast guard standards.
An AMS may be used to meet the coast guard ballast water treatment requirements for up to five years after the ship’s ballast water discharge standard compliance date specified in the final rule. This five-year time frame allows for the completion of required land-based and shipboard testing.