Speakers
Ballast Water: The future & opportunities
Australia has a renowned reputation for maintaining a strong biosecurity system designed to reduce the risk of pests and disease agents entering, establishing, spreading and causing harm. With a 60,000km coastline, the vast majority of which is uninhabited, and >90% of Australia's exports relying on sea trade, the need for effective management of biosecurity risks associated with ships' ballast water is paramount.
Australia, as a signatory to the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Ballast Water Management Convention, actively regulates biosecurity risks associated with ships’ ballast water and has been increasing its inspection presence at the border, as more ships reach their D-2 compliance date. Recent compliance experience indicates many vessels remain non-compliant with the BWM Convention – either due to documentary issues, the vessel not managing ballast water in accordance with their BWM plan, due to challenges in understanding how to effectively operate the installed ballast water management system (BWMS) and/or difficulties related to challenging water quality.
The department has been sampling and analysing ballast water discharges for compliance with the regulation D-2 standard for nearly 5 years. Trends remain similar over sampling years, with ~30% vessels sampled failing the >50micron size class. To improve the effective and efficient regulation of biosecurity risks and reduce delays to ships at Australia’s border during a ballast water ship inspection, the department is implementing a range of activities and measures to improve compliance outcomes.
Recognising that the IMO is currently reviewing the BWM Convention, this presentation will provide key Australian ballast water policy updates and open opportunities for collaboration both to derive improved international policy solutions and develop complementary research and development activities related to biosecurity risks associated with ballast water.