Speakers
Ballast Water: Implementation & Experience Building
Ballast Water Management systems have been the cornerstone of water compliance through ballasting operations since the inception of the D-2 standard. This standard was developed to ensure any ballast water would not discharge harmful organisms into different environments, thus introducing alien invasive species. There have been reports of these systems however struggling in ports with challenging water quality, this could be in the form of sedimentation, salinity, temperature and Ultraviolet transmittance. This has led to interim guidance being developed for ships operating in in challenging water quality conditions through Resolution MEPC.387(81) which was adopted by MEPC 81 in March 2024.
Within this guidance, INTERTANKO referenced the use of its Challenging Water Quality (CWQ) database. Primarily used for voyage planning and as a reference tool, it aids in anticipating and addressing CWQ situations. The tool is also designed for effective communication with receiving port State Administrations under regulation A-4, where unexpected issues arise.
Parties to the BWMC could also consider the information from the CWQ database to decide on the information that they would want to share with mariners, the Organization and any potentially affected coastal States of areas under their jurisdictions where CWQ exists, as provided under regulation C-2.
The CWQ database, used together with the guidance in Resolution MEPC.387(81), could aid Parties to the BWMC to coordinate efforts of both their port and coastal State Administrations in minimizing differing interpretations and instructions to ships affected by the CWQ. This could enhance the level of compliance to the BWMC while providing ships with clarity on what is expected from them.