International Convention for the Control and Management of ...

The ballast water management standards will be phased in over a period of time. As an intermediate solution, ships should exchange ballast water mid-ocean. Adoption:13February2004;Entryintoforce:8September2017 Invasiveaquaticspeciespresentamajorthreattothemarineecosystems,andshippinghasbeenidentifiedasamajorpathwayforintroducingspeciestonewenvironments.Theproblemincreasedastradeandtrafficvolumeexpandedoverthelastfewdecades,andinparticularwiththeintroductionofsteelhulls,allowingvesselstousewaterinsteadofsolidmaterialsasballast.Theeffectsoftheintroductionofnewspecieshaveinmanyareasoftheworldbeendevastating.Quantitativedatashowtherateofbio-invasionsiscontinuingtoincreaseatanalarmingrate.Asthevolumesofseabornetradecontinueoveralltoincrease,theproblemmaynotyethavereacheditspeak. However,theBallastWaterManagementConvention,adoptedin2004,aimstopreventthespreadofharmfulaquaticorganisms fromoneregiontoanother,byestablishingstandardsandproceduresforthemanagementandcontrolofships'ballastwaterandsediments   UndertheConvention,allshipsininternationaltrafficarerequiredtomanagetheirballastwaterandsedimentstoacertainstandard,accordingtoaship-specificballastwatermanagementplan.Allshipswillalsohavetocarryaballastwaterrecordbookandaninternationalballastwatermanagementcertificate.Theballastwatermanagementstandardswillbephasedinoveraperiodoftime.Asanintermediatesolution,shipsshouldexchangeballastwatermid-ocean.However,eventuallymostshipswillneedtoinstallanon-boardballastwatertreatmentsystem. AnumberofguidelineshavebeendevelopedtofacilitatetheimplementationoftheConvention. TheConventionwillrequireallshipstoimplementaBallastWaterandSedimentsManagementPlan.AllshipswillhavetocarryaBallastWaterRecordBookandwillberequiredtocarryoutballastwatermanagementprocedurestoagivenstandard.Existingshipswillberequiredtodothesame,butafteraphase-inperiod.   PartiestotheConventionaregiventheoptiontotakeadditionalmeasureswhicharesubjecttocriteriasetoutintheConventionandtoIMOguidelines   TheConventionisdividedintoArticles;andanAnnexwhichincludestechnicalstandardsandrequirementsintheRegulationsforthecontrolandmanagementofships'ballastwaterandsediments.   GeneralObligationsUnderArticle2GeneralObligationsPartiesundertaketogivefullandcompleteeffecttotheprovisionsoftheConventionandtheAnnexinordertoprevent,minimizeandultimatelyeliminatethetransferofharmfulaquaticorganismsandpathogensthroughthecontrolandmanagementofships'ballastwaterandsediments.   Partiesaregiventherighttotake,individuallyorjointlywithotherParties,morestringentmeasureswithrespecttotheprevention,reductionoreliminationofthetransferofharmfulaquaticorganismsandpathogensthroughthecontrolandmanagementofships'ballastwaterandsediments,consistentwithinternationallaw.Partiesshouldensurethatballastwatermanagementpracticesdonotcausegreaterharmthantheypreventtotheirenvironment,humanhealth,propertyorresources,orthoseofotherStates.   ReceptionfacilitiesUnderArticle5SedimentReceptionFacilitiesPartiesundertaketoensurethatportsandterminalswherecleaningorrepairofballasttanksoccurs,haveadequatereceptionfacilitiesforthereceptionofsediments.   ResearchandmonitoringArticle6ScientificandTechnicalResearchandMonitoringcallsforPartiesindividuallyorjointlytopromoteandfacilitatescientificandtechnicalresearchonballastwatermanagement;andmonitortheeffectsofballastwatermanagementinwatersundertheirjurisdiction.   Survey,certificationandinspectionShipsarerequiredtobesurveyedandcertified(Article7Surveyandcertification)andmaybeinspectedbyportStatecontrolofficers(Article9InspectionofShips)whocanverifythattheshiphasavalidcertificate;inspecttheBallastWaterRecordBook;and/orsampletheballastwater.Ifthereareconcerns,thenadetailedinspectionmaybecarriedoutand"thePartycarryingouttheinspectionshalltakesuchstepsaswillensurethattheshipshallnotdischargeBallastWateruntilitcandosowithoutpresentingathreatofharmtotheenvironment,humanhealth,propertyorresources."   Allpossibleeffortsshallbemadetoavoidashipbeingundulydetainedordelayed(Article12UndueDelaytoShips).   TechnicalassistanceUnderArticle13TechnicalAssistance,Co-operationandRegionalCo-operation,Partiesundertake,directlyorthroughtheOrganizationandotherinternationalbodies,asappropriate,inrespectofthecontrolandmanagementofships'ballastwaterandsediments,toprovidesupportforthosePartieswhichrequesttechnicalassistancetotrainpersonnel;toensuretheavailabilityofrelevanttechnology,equipmentandfacilities;toinitiatejointresearchanddevelopmentprogrammes;andtoundertakeotheractionaimedattheeffectiveimplementationofthisConventionandofguidancedevelopedbytheOrganizationrelatedthereto.   Annex-SectionAGeneralProvisionsThisincludesdefinitions,applicationandexemptions.UnderRegulationA-2GeneralApplicability:"Exceptwhereexpresslyprovidedotherwise,thedischargeofBallastWatershallonlybeconductedthroughBallastWaterManagement,inaccordancewiththeprovisionsofthisAnnex."   Annex-SectionBManagementandControlRequirementsforShipsShipsarerequiredtohaveonboardandimplementaBallastWaterManagementPlanapprovedbytheAdministration(RegulationB-1).TheBallastWaterManagementPlanisspecifictoeachshipandincludesadetaileddescriptionoftheactionstobetakentoimplementtheBallastWaterManagementrequirementsandsupplementalBallastWaterManagementpractices.   ShipsmusthaveaBallastWaterRecordBook(RegulationB-2)torecordwhenballastwateristakenonboard;circulatedortreatedforBallastWaterManagementpurposes;anddischargedintothesea.ItshouldalsorecordwhenBallastWaterisdischargedtoareceptionfacilityandaccidentalorotherexceptionaldischargesofBallastWater   ThespecificrequirementsforballastwatermanagementarecontainedinregulationB-3BallastWaterManagementforShips. Othermethodsofballastwatermanagementmayalsobeacceptedasalternativestotheballastwaterexchangestandardandballastwaterperformancestandard,providedthatsuchmethodsensureatleastthesamelevelofprotectiontotheenvironment,humanhealth,propertyorresources,andareapprovedinprinciplebyIMO'sMarineEnvironmentProtectionCommittee(MEPC).   UnderRegulationB-4BallastWaterExchange,allshipsusingballastwaterexchangeshould: wheneverpossible,conductballastwaterexchangeatleast200nauticalmilesfromthenearestlandandinwateratleast200metresindepth,takingintoaccountGuidelinesdevelopedbyIMO; incaseswheretheshipisunabletoconductballastwaterexchangeasabove,thisshouldbeasfarfromthenearestlandaspossible,andinallcasesatleast50nauticalmilesfromthenearestlandandinwateratleast200metresindepth. Whentheserequirementscannotbemetareasmaybedesignatedwhereshipscanconductballastwaterexchange.Allshipsshallremoveanddisposeofsedimentsfromspacesdesignatedtocarryballastwaterinaccordancewiththeprovisionsoftheships'ballastwatermanagementplan(RegulationB-4).   Annex-SectionCAdditionalmeasuresAParty,individuallyorjointlywithotherParties,mayimposeonshipsadditionalmeasurestoprevent,reduce,oreliminatethetransferofHarmfulAquaticOrganismsandPathogensthroughships'BallastWaterandSediments.Inthesecases,thePartyorPartiesshouldconsultwithadjoiningornearbyStatesthatmaybeaffectedbysuchstandardsorrequirementsandshouldcommunicatetheirintentiontoestablishadditionalmeasure(s)totheOrganizationatleast6months,exceptinemergencyorepidemicsituations,priortotheprojecteddateofimplementationofthemeasure(s).Whenappropriate,PartieswillhavetoobtaintheapprovalofIMO.   Annex-SectionDStandardsforBallastWaterManagementThereisaballastwaterexchangestandardandaballastwaterperformancestandard.Ballastwaterexchangecouldbeusedtomeettheperformancestandard: RegulationD-1BallastWaterExchangeStandard-ShipsperformingBallastWaterexchangeshalldosowithanefficiencyof95percentvolumetricexchangeofBallastWater.Forshipsexchangingballastwaterbythepumping-throughmethod,pumpingthroughthreetimesthevolumeofeachballastwatertankshallbeconsideredtomeetthestandarddescribed.Pumpingthroughlessthanthreetimesthevolumemaybeacceptedprovidedtheshipcandemonstratethatatleast95percentvolumetricexchangeismet.   RegulationD-2BallastWaterPerformanceStandard-Shipsconductingballastwatermanagementshalldischargelessthan10viableorganismspercubicmetregreaterthanorequalto50micrometresinminimumdimensionandlessthan10viableorganismspermilliliterlessthan50micrometresinminimumdimensionandgreaterthanorequalto10micrometresinminimumdimension;anddischargeoftheindicatormicrobesshallnotexceedthespecifiedconcentrations.   Theindicatormicrobes,asahumanhealthstandard,include,butarenotbelimitedto:a.ToxicogenicVibriocholerae(O1andO139)withlessthan1colonyformingunit(cfu)per100millilitersorlessthan1cfuper1gram(wetweight)zooplanktonsamples;b.Escherichiacolilessthan250cfuper100milliliters;c.IntestinalEnterococcilessthan100cfuper100milliliters.   BallastWaterManagementsystemsmustbeapprovedbytheAdministrationinaccordancewithIMOGuidelines(RegulationD-3ApprovalrequirementsforBallastWaterManagementsystems).Theseincludesystemswhichmakeuseofchemicalsorbiocides;makeuseoforganismsorbiologicalmechanisms;orwhichalterthechemicalorphysicalcharacteristicsoftheBallastWater.   PrototypetechnologiesRegulationD-4coversPrototypeBallastWaterTreatmentTechnologies.ItallowsforshipsparticipatinginaprogrammeapprovedbytheAdministrationtotestandevaluatepromisingBallastWatertreatmenttechnologiestohavealeewayoffiveyearsbeforehavingtocomplywiththerequirements.   ReviewofstandardsUnderregulationD-5ReviewofStandardsbytheOrganization,IMOisrequiredtoreviewtheBallastWaterPerformanceStandard,takingintoaccountanumberofcriteriaincludingsafetyconsiderations;environmentalacceptability,i.e.,notcausingmoreorgreaterenvironmentalimpactsthanitsolves;practicability,i.e.,compatibilitywithshipdesignandoperations;costeffectiveness;andbiologicaleffectivenessintermsofremoving,orotherwiserenderinginactiveharmfulaquaticorganismsandpathogensinballastwater.Thereviewshouldincludeadeterminationofwhetherappropriatetechnologiesareavailabletoachievethestandard,anassessmentoftheabovementionedcriteria,andanassessmentofthesocio-economiceffect(s)specificallyinrelationtothedevelopmentalneedsofdevelopingcountries,particularlysmallislanddevelopingStates.   Annex-SectionESurveyandCertificationRequirementsforBallastWaterManagementGivesrequirementsforinitialrenewal,annual,intermediateandrenewalsurveysandcertificationrequirements.AppendicesgiveformofBallastWaterManagementCertificateandFormofBallastWaterRecordBook.   Conventions ListofConventions StatusofConventions ActionDates