TOPICS/ISSUES
Ballast Water Management
The IMO’s International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) first came into force in September 2017 with fundamental requirements placed on Members, including compliance with the ballast water discharge standard, a BWM Plan and Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB). However, there remain considerable practical and operational challenges in achieving full and consistent compliance with the ballast water discharge standards in all ports and at all times.
The BWM Convention is currently being reviewed as part of the Convention Review Plan that is targeted to be completed by Autumn 2026. 14 issues were identified for considerations, with 13 identified as priorities.
INTERTANKO has actively engaged, and will continue to proactively engage, the IMO and other national and regional regulators to assist Members in finding solutions to the complex operational, technical and implementation challenges during the Convention Review.
Furthermore, based on Member feedback on implementing ballast water legislation and using ballast water management systems, INTERTANKO will continue to seek to influence current and future regulations to ensure their implementation is rational and practical while continuing to protect marine biodiversity. In addition, INTERTANKO will work to ensure port State control enforcement is consistent, uniform and aligned with the intention of international ballast water legislation.
Click on the following areas for further details:
Contact
Tim Wilkins
Deputy Managing Director, Environment Director
e: tim.wilkins@intertanko.com
t: +44 20 7977 7012
Elfian Harun
Regional Manager SE Asia & Environment Manager
e: elfian.harun@intertanko.com
t: +65 6333 4007
William Sturdy
Environment Manager
e: william.sturdy@intertanko.com
t: +44 (0)20 7977 7020
Latest on Ballast Water Management
INTERTANKO participates in 15th Co-operation Forum in Indonesia
INTERTANKO participated in the 15th Co-operation Forum (CF), 47th Tripartite Technical Experts Group Meeting (TTEG) and the Project Coordination Committee... MORE
INTERTANKO attends Joint HELCOM/OSPAR session on ballast water management and biofouling management
This week, INTERTANKO attended the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) and the Oslo-Paris (OSPAR) Commission’s joint session on ballast water management and... MORE
INTERTANKO Ports with Challenging Water Quality (PCWQ) database to open for industry-wide submissions
INTERTANKO will be opening its Ports with Challenging Water Quality (PCWQ) database for industry-wide submissions in the coming week. The... MORE
Clarification on Canadian ballast water requirements
Further to several Member enquiries, INTERTANKO sought clarification from Transport Canada on further requirements for ballast water discharge, specifically in... MORE
New Zealand mandates Biosecurity Pre-Arrival Report from 1 May 2025
New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), through its Biosecurity New Zealand, has introduced the Biosecurity Pre-Arrival Report (PAR) for... MORE
Key Resources
INTERTANKO launches Challenging Water Quality database and dashboard
INTERTANKO’s Members have been submitting reports advising where they have encountered Ports with Challenging Water Quality (PCWQ) that have rendered... MORE
Submit a report on BWMS failures and ports with challenging water conditions
Here you can submit a report detailing problems that have been experienced with ballast water management systems (BWMS) due to... MORE
Challenges and Tasks for the smooth implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention
... MORE
Ballast Water Contingency Measures for Tankers
INTERTANKO has released 'Ballast Water Contingency Measures for Tankers' in order to provide Members with guidance on practical contingency measures... MORE
