Ballast water

Effects and examples of alien species brought into coastal habitats via ships' ballast waters have been documented all over the world. The problem already exists with a number of examples of environmental and financial problems due to organisms introduced from other coastal areas. The world authorities, in co-operation with the shipping industry and the world’s scientific community, are attempting to minimise the problem through the implementation of the IMO's Ballast Water Convention together with treatment techniques and management methods. Now believed to be one of the world’s four most serious threats to the marine environment, the invasive species issue has received growing attention from all parties concerned. INTERTANKO is working to ensure the implementation of both global and practical solutions to the problem.

The carriage of ballast water is an essential part of all tanker operations. To maintain stability and ensure sufficient vessel displacement for effective propeller immersion, all tankers must carry ballast water when proceeding without cargo, or in ballast.

For tankers to operate effectively when in ballast they require thousands of gallons of water to be pumped on board. However, within the water column of ports and harbours are thousands of micro organisms. Not only are they present in the water column but also in the sediment that is more often than not taken into the ballast tanks as well.

Although not particularly harmful when taken on board, when the ballast water is finally discharged, the vessel may have travelled across several oceans and hence will redistribute these organisms, now deemed alien, into foreign waters. If the organisms in the ballast water survive the journey and if various biological and physical parameters are correct, then there is the chance that the organism will survive in the new environment. It is when the organism is given the potential to reproduce that there is a threat to the environment. A new species in a coastal environment may wreak havoc with native species by competing for food, space, light or even by way of changing the actual physical environment.

Since the recognition of this problem there have been hundreds of documented accounts in which harmful aquatic species have been introduced and consequently survived in ports, harbours, estuaries and coastal waters. It has been estimated that there is a new invasion somewhere in the world every 9 weeks with up to 4,500 different species being carried in ballast water at any one time (GloBallast Programme 2001). The list below gives a few examples of some of the more publicised and unfavourable incidents.

Table 1 Examples of invasive species that have been well documented.

Species (Common Name)	Location Affected	Notes
Dreissena polymorpha(Zebra mussel)	North American Great Lakes	Introduced during the 1980's from a freshwater source in Europe. The mollusc is responsible for fouling vessel hulls and clogging industrial pipelines. It causes USD 20m a year in damages.
Asterias amurensis (Northern pacific seastar)	Tasmania, Australia	The seastar has virtually wiped out a species of shellfish and is a major threat to the marine environment. It is also adversely affecting the Tasmanian fisheries.
Mnemiopsis leidyi(Comb jellyfish)	The Black Sea	Estimated damages of USD 250m to the fisheries in the area.
Toxic dinoflagillates	Across Australia	Species include Alexandrium catenella and Gymnodinium catenatum. Responsible for red tides and outbreaks of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning.

With an approximated 12 billion gallons of ballast water being transported across the world every year it is no wonder that environmental groups, the shipping industry and national authorities are concerned as to the threat posed by this problem.

Legislative developments on an international level have been in process in the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) for more than a decade. Delegates from all the nations concerned are working with the shipping industry and environmental organisations to implement regulations to minimise the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms.

 

Where can I find the latest Ballast Water Reporting form for entry into Australian waters?

Owing to a number of updates of the Australian procedures during 2001 the reporting form has had to be revised accordingly. The latest form can be downloaded as a Word or pdf document from the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) website

Some regional regulations require the Ballast Water Management Plan to be approved. Who do I need to gain approval from?

Often this depends on the region or state requesting the approval.

However, all major classification societies are now able to offer approval services for your ballast water management plan. In cases of Port State approval, the legislator will be able to provide you with the appropriate contact details to which you must forward your ballast water management plan. Should you have any problems gaining contact details for the relevant authority then please contact Tim Wilkins (Email: tim.wilkins@intertanko.com)

Where can I find local, national or regional ballast water requirements?

INTERTANKO is in the process of reformatting and updating its ballast water legislative database. This will be available on this website in mid-2006. If you need urgent assistance or information, please contact tim.wilkins@intertanko.com 

Where can I find the IMO Standard Ballast Water Reporting Form?

Click here to download the IMO Standard Ballast Water Reporting Form