Marine Environment

Ballast water management

International Convention for the Control and Management of Global Ballast Water Management
Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments adopted in 2004 Programme

GloBallast Programme wins award

The problem of harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water was first
raised at IMO in 1988 and since then the MEPC, together with MSC and Alien invaders - graphic (PDF)
technical sub-committees, has been dealing with the issue. In order to
Ballast awareness materials
help developing countries understand the problem and monitor the
situation, IMO is implementing the GEF/UNDP/IMO Global Ballast Water
Invaders from the Sea DVD
Management Programme (GloBallast) and has provided technical support and
expertise.

The problem of invasive species is largely due to the expanded trade

and traffic volume over the last few decades. The effects in many areas
of the world have been devastating. Quantitative data show the rate of
bio-invasions is continuing to increase at an alarming rate, in many
cases exponentially, and new areas are being invaded all the time.
Volumes of seaborne trade continue overall to increase and the problem
may not yet have reached its peak.

It is estimated that about three-10 billion tonnes of ballast water are transferred globally each
year, potentially transferring from one location to another species of sealife that may prove
ecologically harmful when released into a non-native environment.

A diplomatic conference from 9 to13 February 2004 adopted the International Convention for the Control
and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, a new international convention to prevent the
potentially devastating effects of the spread of harmful aquatic organisms carried by ships' ballast
water.

The Convention will require all ships to implement a Ballast Water and Sediments Management
Plan. All ships will have to carry a Ballast Water Record Book and will be required to carry out
ballast water management procedures to a given standard. Existing ships will be required to do
the same, but after a phase-in period.

Parties to the Convention are given the option to take additional measures which are subject to
criteria set out in the Convention and to IMO guidelines

At its 53rd session in July 2005, IMO's Marine environment Protection Committee (MEPC) adopted
Guidelines for uniform implementation of the International Convention for the Control and
Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention). The guidelines adopted
cover ballast water management equivalent compliance; approval of ballast water management
systems; ballast water management and development of ballast water management plans; ballast
water exchange and the Procedure for approval of ballast water management systems that make
use of Active Substances.

MEPC 54 outcome

The MEPC at its 54th session in March 2006 adopted the Guidelines for approval and oversight of
prototype ballast water treatment technology programmes (G10), which are part of a series of
guidelines developed to assist in the implementation of the International Convention for the
Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention).

Eleven sets of guidelines are referred to in the Convention. Six have already been adopted and the
remainder are being developed by the Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids and Gases (BLG) with input
from the Sub-Committee on Flag State Implementation (FSI).

The MEPC agreed to give basic approval to two ballast water management systems that make use
of active substances, after consideration of the report of the first session of the GESAMP Ballast
Water Working Group on Active Substances, which met in January 2006.

One system involves the use of a biocide for treatment of ballast water and the other involves the
disinfection of ballast water by electrolysis with the generation of free chlorine, sodium
hypochlorite and hydroxyl radicals and by electrochemical oxidation through the creation of ozone
and hydrogen peroxide.

Approval of ballast water management systems

The dedicated Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection
(GESAMP) -Ballast Water (GESAMP-BW) Technical Group on Active Substances has been
established to review any proposals submitted for approval of Ballast Water Management systems
that make use of Active Substances. This group would then report to the Organization on whether
such a proposal presents unreasonable risk to the environment, human health, property or
resources in accordance with the criteria specified in the Procedure for approval of ballast water
management systems that make use of Active Substances.

The GESAMP-BW Technical Group will be financed through a fee scheme and paid for by the body
or industry requesting approval of a ballast water management system using Active Substances.

Review of Convention

The Convention requires a review to be undertaken no later than three years before the first
effective date for compliance set out in the Convention in order to determine whether appropriate
technologies are available to achieve the standard. A Review Group established at the session
reviewed 14 different ballast water management technologies and systems which could meet the
ballast water performance standard in the Convention.

Regulation D-2 Ballast Water Performance Standard -

states that ships conducting ballast water management
shall discharge less than 10 viable organisms per cubic
metre greater than or equal to 50 micrometres in minimum
dimension and less than 10 viable organisms per milliliter
less than 50 micrometres in minimum dimension and
greater than or equal to 10 micrometres in minimum
dimension; and discharge of the indicator microbes shall
not exceed the specified concentrations.

The indicator microbes, as a human health standard,

include, but are not be limited to:
a. Toxicogenic Vibrio cholerae (O1 and O139) with less than 1 colony forming unit (cfu) per 100
milliliters or less than 1 cfu per 1 gram (wet weight) zooplankton samples ;
b. Escherichia coli less than 250 cfu per 100 milliliters;
c. Intestinal Enterococci less than 100 cfu per 100 milliliters.

The technologies and systems were reviewed against criteria of safety, environmental
acceptability, practicability, cost effectiveness and biological effectiveness including an
assessment of socio-economic effects, specifically in relation to the developmental needs of
developing countries, particularly small island developing States.

It was agreed that the information collected to date on the systems and technologies currently
being tested suggested they had the potential to meet the criteria and it was, therefore,
anticipated that final approval of the systems, following testing and evaluation, could be achieved
during 2008. The Review Group would meet again at MEPC 55.

BWM Convention status

At July 2005, eight countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Finland, Maldives, The Netherlands, Spain
and Syrian Arab Republic) have signed the Ballast Water Management Convention, subject to
ratification. Maldives became the first Contracting Party after depositing its instrument of
ratification on 22 June 2005. The Convention will enter into force 12 months after ratification by 30
States, representing 35 per cent of world merchant shipping tonnage. See Status of Conventions.

GloBallast Programme
In order to help developing countries understand the problem, monitor the situation and prepare
for the convention, IMO is implementing the GEF/UNDP/IMO Global Ballast Water Management
Programme (GloBallast: http://globallast.imo.org/ ) and has provided technical support and expertise.
The programme is currently entering its second phase.

Background
Scientists first recognized the signs of an alien species introduction after a mass occurrence of the
Asian phytoplankton algae Odontella (Biddulphia sinensis) in the North Sea in 1903.

But it was not until the 1970s that the scientific community began reviewing the problem in detail.
In the late 1980s, Canada and Australia were among countries experiencing particular problems
with unwanted species, and they brought their concerns to the attention of IMO's Marine
Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).

In 1991 the MEPC adopted MEPC resolution 50(31) - Guidelines for Preventing the
Introduction of Unwanted Organisms and Pathogens from Ships' Ballast Water and
Sediment Discharges; while the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
(UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, recognized the issue as a major international concern.

In November 1993, the IMO Assembly adopted resolution A.774(18) - Guidelines for Preventing
the Introduction of Unwanted Organisms and Pathogens from Ships' Ballast Water and
Sediment Discharges, based on the Guidelines adopted in 1991. The resolution requested the
MEPC and the MSC to keep the Guidelines under review with a view to developing internationally
applicable, legally-binding provisions.

The 20th Assembly of IMO in November 1997 adopted resolution A.868(20) - Guidelines for the control and
management of ships' ballast water to minimize the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens.

The development of the draft mandatory instrument continued, until its adoption in February 2004.

Some examples of aquatic bio-invasions causing major impact are listed in the table, but there are hundreds of other
serious invasions which have been recorded around the world:

Name Native to Introduced to Impact

Cholera Various strains South America, Some cholera epidemics appear to be
Vibrio cholerae with broad ranges Gulf of Mexico and directly associated with ballast water
(various strains) other areas
Cladoceran Water Black and Caspian Baltic Sea Reproduces to form very large
Flea Seas populations that dominate the
Cercopagis pengoi zooplankton community and clog
fishing nets and trawls, with associated
economic impacts
Mitten Crab Northern Asia Western Europe, Undergoes mass migrations for
Eiocheir sinensis Baltic Sea and reproductive purposes. Burrows into
West Coast North river banks and dykes causing erosion
America and siltation. Preys on native fish and
invertebrate species, causing local
extinctions during population
outbreaks. Interferes with fishing
activities
Toxic Various species Several species May form Harmful Algae Blooms.
Algae(Red/Brown/ with broad ranges have been Depending on the species, can cause
Green Tides) transferred to new massive kills of marine life through
Various species areas in ships' oxygen depletion, release of toxins
ballast water and/or mucus. Can foul beaches and
impact on tourism and recreation.
Some species may contaminate filter-
feeding shellfish and cause fisheries to
be closed. Consumption of
contaminated shellfish by humans may
cause severe illness and death
Round Goby Black, Asov and Baltic Sea and Highly adaptable and invasive.
Neogobius Caspian Seas North America Increases in
melanostomus numbers and spreads quickly.
Competes for food and habitat with
native fishes including commercially
important species, and preys on their
eggs and young. Spawns multiple
times per season and survives in poor
water quality
North American Eastern Seaboard Black, Azov and Reproduces rapidly (self fertilising
Comb Jelly of the Americas Caspian Seas hermaphrodite) under favourable
Mnemiopsis leidyi conditions. Feeds excessively on
zooplankton. Depletes zooplankton
stocks; altering food web and
ecosystem function. Contributed
significantly to collapse of Black and
Asov Sea fisheries in 1990s, with
massive economic and social impact.
Now threatens similar impact in
Caspian Sea.
North Pacific Northern Pacific Southern Australia Reproduces in large numbers, reaching
Seastar 'plague' proportions rapidly in invaded
Asterias amurensis environments. Feeds on shellfish,
including commercially valuable
scallop,
oyster and clam species
Zebra Mussel Eastern Europe Introduced to: Fouls all available hard surfaces in
Dreissena (Black Sea) Western and mass numbers. Displaces native
polymorpha northern Europe, aquatic life. Alters habitat, ecosystem
including Ireland and food web. Causes severe fouling
and Baltic problems on infrastructure and vessels.
Sea;eastern half of Blocks water intake pipes, sluices and
 North America irrigation ditches. Economic costs to
USA alone of around
US$750 million to $1 billion between
1989 and 2000
Asian Kelp Northern Asia Southern Australia, Grows and spreads rapidly, both
Undaria pinnatifida New Zealand, West vegetatively and through dispersal of
Coast of the United spores. Displaces native algae and
States, Europe and marine life. Alters habitat, ecosystem
Argentina and food web. May affect commercial
shellfish stocks through space
competition and alteration of habitat
European Green European Atlantic Southern Australia, Highly adaptable and invasive.
Crab Coast South Africa, the Resistant to predation due to hard
Carcinus maenus United States and shell. Competes with and displaces
Japan native crabs and becomes a dominant
species in invaded areas. Consumes
and depletes wide range of prey
species. Alters inter-tidal rocky shore
ecosystem

Reference: http://globallast.imo.org/poster4_english.pdf

Further information

Focus paper - Alien invaders - putting a stop to the ballast water hitch-hikers (1999)

Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC)

See also Global Ballast Water Management Programme