Key Ballast Water Management Regulations With a View on Ballast Water Management Systems Type Approval Process

Abstract

Over the last few decades, the spread of invasive aquatic organisms via ships' ballast water became one of the global environmental issues of most concern. The Ballast Water Management Convention is the main instrument of the International Maritime Organization through which a number of regulations and standards have been developed and implemented to manage and control the discharge of ballast water from ships internationally. Since the United States is not a signatory to the The Ballast Water Management Convention, all ships operating in United States waters must comply with United States Ballast Water Management federal regulations. The paper highlights the essential The Ballast Water Management Convention and United States national Ballast Water Management regime topics to be recognised by the stakeholders of the shipping industry, predominantly ship operators and shipowners. Particular attention is given to the Ballast Water Management Systems type approval process where United States testing protocol and requirements are considered to be more rigorous and comprehensive compared to the International maritime Organization's type approval protocol. Although the Ballast Water Management regulations are considered to be matured they are still "living" provisions, and further regulatory enhancements are likely to be expected in the future. Therefore, it would be beneficial for all Ballast Water Management stakeholders to harmonize the Ballast Water Management Systems type approval requirements. Sažetak Tijekom posljednjih nekoliko desetljeća, širenje invazivnih vodenih organizama putem balastnih voda na brodovima postalo je jedno od globalnih ekoloških pitanja od najveće važnosti. Konvencija o upravljanju balastnim vodama je glavni instrument Međunarodne pomorske organizacije putem kojega su razvijeni i implementirani brojni propisi i standardi za upravljanje i kontrolu ispuštanja balastnih voda s brodova na međunarodnoj razini. Budući da Sjedinjene Američke Države nisu potpisnice konvencije o upravljanju balastnim vodama, svi brodovi koji rade u vodama Sjedinjenih Država moraju udovoljavati saveznim propisima o upravljanju balastnim vodama. U radu se ističu bitne teme Konvencije o upravljanju balastnim vodama i nacionalnog režima upravljanja balastnim vodama Sjedinjenih Država, koje će prepoznati dionici pomorske industrije, uglavnom brodarska poduzeća i brodovlasnici. Posebna pozornost posvećena je postupku odobravanja tipa Sustava za tretiranje balastnih voda u kojem se protokol i zahtjevi za testiranje u SAD-u smatraju strožima i opsežnijima u odnosu prema protokolu odobravanja Međunarodne pomorske organizacije. Iako se smatra da su propisi o upravljanju balastnim vodama sazreli, oni su i dalje "živi" propisi, a daljnja regulatorna poboljšanja vjerojatno će se očekivati u budućnosti. Zato bi bilo korisno za sve dionike upravljanja balastnim vodama uskladiti zahtjeve za odobravanjem tipa Sustava za tretiranje balastnih voda. KEY WORDS Ballast Water Management (BWM) regulations Ballast Water Management System (B...

Overview and Comparison of the IMO and the US Maritime Administration Ballast Water Management Regulations

“…As per BWMC, in order to ensure that onboard BWM is in accordance with regulated procedures, each ship must carry as follows [22,28,30,31]: Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) is defined by IMO as any system that treats BW in order to comply with biological limits set in D-2 Standard. It includes treatment equipment with all the accompanying piping arrangements, control and monitoring equipment as well as sampling facilities [32].…”

“…Guideline G9 consists of a Basic and Final approval process to determine that the BWMS performance does not jeopardise the environment, human health, property, or resources. These approval protocols are followed and reviewed by Ballast Water Working Group on Active Substances (GESAMP-BWWG) established under the auspice of MEPC in 2005 especially for this purpose [1,22,25].…”

“…In addition to Basic and Final approval for BWMSs using Active Substances, all systems must carry out land-based and shipboard tests in order to be finally evaluated and approved by the Flag Administration/RO in the form of the Type Approval Certificate (TAC). Once TAC is obtained and onboard installed BWMS is surveyed, IBWMC can be issued [1,22,25].…”

“…Studies on Ballast Water Treatment Systems (BWTS) include papers on the comparison of five BWTS and operational experiences on ships [14], reviews of technologies for BWTS [15], research on global BWTS market [16], and preview of BWTS market status [17]. Previous studies on BWM regulations include a critical review of the BWMC [18], a discussion about "same location" concept regarding exemption for compliance with BW regulations [19], a review of BWM policy and its implications for Alaska [20], a summary of BWM development in Brazil [21], and a review of key BWM regulations with an emphasis on a Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) type approval process [22].…”

Mediators of invasions in the sea: life history strategies and dispersal vectors facilitating global sea anemone introductions

“…However, since ballast water, when taken up, contains sediments which are not necessarily expelled when the ballast is released in the arrival port (Maglić et al 2017 ), sediments can build up over time within the ballast tank or ballasted hold that can potentially provide suitable soft substrate suitable for some anemone species (Bailey et al 2005 ; Briski et al 2010 , 2012 ). Modern ballast water management, which by the 2020s requires all ships at sea to have ballast treatment systems installed, may result in fewer ballast-mediated invasions (Batista et al 2017 ; Campara et al 2019 ; Davidson et al 2017 ). This may perhaps mean that the longest-term ship-related vector, hull biofouling, may return proportionally as the major vessel-related vector for global species transport.…”