ClassNK

Introduction to Ballast Water Management Convention

According to IMO estimates, ships carry some 3 billion tons to 5 billion tons of ballast water globally each year. The IMO developed and adopted “The International Convention for The Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004” (Ballast Water Management Convention) with the aim of protecting the marine environment from the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water carried by ships. The BWM Convention will enter into force on 8 September 2017.

The latest information of ratification status of the Convention can be accessed through "Recent ratifications" in IMO Homepage: IMO / English / About IMO / Conventions / Status of Conventions that allows downloading datasheet of each country.

IMO Homepage Status of Conventions

Ballast water management for ships shall be made in accordance with the following Standards under this Convention.

(1) Ballast water performance standard (Regulation D-2)
(2) Ballast water exchange standard (Regulation D-1)

Finally, ships shall conduct primary method that Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens in ballast water are treated with approved Ballast Water Management System (BWMS).

International Ballast Water Management Certificate (IBWMC)

By the effective date of the convention (8 September 2017), all ships of 400 gross tonnage and above to which the BWM Convention applies (including existing ships, except floating platform, FSUs and FPSOs) are required to possess International Ballast Water Management Certificate.

The below documents are to be kept on board not only ships applied with Regulation D-2 (ballast water performance standard) but also those with only Regulation D-1 (ballast water exchange standard). Since it is expected that a lot of initial survey applications for issuance of the certificate might be rushed into submission to ClassNK before 8 September 2017, please apply well in advance for the initial survey at the earliest opportunity for the smooth issuance.

(1) International Ballast Water Management Certificate (IBWMC)
(2) Approved Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP)
(3) Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB)

ClassNK implement initial survey to confirm that required documents and equipment are provided onboard, and issue the certificate (IBWMC) on behalf of some flag Administration. Also, prior to the initial survey, it is necessary that the onboard documents and revised drawing be approved; please submit them to ClassNK Machinery Department beforehand. For more details about the abovementioned plans, please refer to ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-1086. With regard to the survey application, please submit it to our site office in charge of the onboard survey.

TEC-1086

Where a ship, which operates only in waters under jurisdiction of a single Party with their permission not to comply with the Convention, operates outside of the area of waters as defined on a single voyage (e.g. for a dry-dock etc.), an exemption may be granted for the ship on the condition that the ship performs ballast water exchange in accordance with an approved Ballast Water Management Plan. The details can be found in the following link:

BWM.2/Circ.52/Rev.1

Due date for Implementation installing Ballast Water Management System

On the 71th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC71) which was held on July 2017, the application schedule of Regulation D-2 (ballast water performance standard) in the convention had been reframed. As the result, the amendment of Regulation B-3 was approved, taken into account of the presupposition that dockyard capacity for retrofitting the system may fall short of the peak demand. The approved amendment is expected to be adopted at MEPC 72 which will be held on April 2018. For more details about the implementation schedule, please refer to ClassNK Technical Information No. TEC-1116.

TEC-1116

Ballast Water Management System should be approved by Administrations in accordance with IMO Guidelines (G8/G9) to comply with the Regulation D-2 standard of the Convention. Approval (G8 and G9) list of Ballast Water Management System can be found in the following link:

List of approved Ballast Water Treatment System

For ships engaged in U.S. waters, the Installation of the Ballast Water Management System is to be approved by United States Coast Guard (USCG). The latest information of the approval of Ballast Water Management System by USCG can be found in USCG Homepage:

United States Coast Guard

Sampling analysis at the Commissioning test

Commissioning test to verify the proper operation of equipment shall be carried out at the installation of any BWMS. MEPC 74 has approved a draft amendment to the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) to conduct commissioning test so as to demonstrate through representative sampling and indicative analysis that a BWMS is working properly, and this amendment will be adopted at MEPC 75.
Prior to the entering into force of this amendment, following flag administrations require the early implementation so that the sampling analysis to be conducted in accordance with their instructions.

Flag	Instructions by flag administrations	Date
Australia	SHIPPING CIRCULAR NO. 01 OF 2019	18/Oct/2019
Cyprus	Circular No 20/2019	02/Dec/2019
Singapore	SHIPPING CIRCULAR NO. 09 OF 2019	01/Jul/2019
Tuvalu	MARINE CIRCULAR MC-3/2016/1	Feb/2020
Greece	Application of IMO Circular BWM2Circ70 (original) Application of IMO Circular BWM2Circ70 (translated)	21/May/2020

Also, the following flag administrations recommend the early implementation of the sampling analysis.

Flag	Instructions by flag administrations	Date
Bahamas	INFORMATION BULLETIN No. 165	04/Nov/2019
Panama	MERCHANT MARINE CIRCULAR MMC-345	July/2020
Liberia	Implementation, Survey and Certification under the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention)	August/2020

Information of Ballast Water Management Convention

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF SHIPS’ BALLAST WATER AND SEDIMENTS, 2004