Preparing for BWM Convention Implementation
Identifying organisms and microbes in ballast water, as well as monitoring port marine life where ballast water may be released, are key for countries preparing to enforce International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Ballast Water Management Convention.
The treaty will enter into force on 8 September 2017 and aims to counter the threat to marine ecosystems by potentially invasive species transported in ships' ballast water.
A regional workshop in Surabaya, Indonesia (2-5 May) provided participants from 10 countries with theoretical and practical training in compliance, monitoring and enforcement of the Convention.
The workshop also addressed port biological baseline surveys and risk assessment. These baseline surveys aim to provide inventories of marine life in and around commercial ports frequented by ships carrying ballast water, determine if there are any non-indigenous species which have been introduced and provide a baseline of biological data against which future changes can be measured.
The Workshop was being hosted by the Directorate General of Sea Transportation of the Ministry of Transport of Indonesia and is being attended by 49 participants from Indonesia, Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Viet Nam.
