hiseamarine

Ballast Water Management System

Loading ballast water is the necessary method during ship sailing. When loading ballast water, organisms in seawater could be carried into ballast tanks and discharged to the destination sea area. Ballast water in ships from one sea area to another could cause the invasion of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens. The unlimited ballast water discharging could cause serious ecological, economic and public heath impact to the receiving environment. The invasion of alien organisms had been listed by GEF as one of the four hazards to the ocean.

 

In order to control the invasion of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ballast water effectively, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has developed the International Convention and Management of Ship¡¯s Ballast Water and Sediments in 2004. The convention came into force since 2009 and requires that new ships must install ballast water treatment systems and this requirement is also suitable for the existing ships. Meanwhile, the convention had set regulation D-2 which regulated the category and the quantity of the surviving organisms in treated ballast water.