Ballast Water Record Book

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted significant amendments to Appendix II of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention (Resolution MEPC.369(80)),specifically addressing the Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB). These amendments are scheduled to take effect on 1 February 2025.

The primary objective of these amendments is to streamline the process of recording ballast water operations by introducing codes and items similar to those utilised in the Oil Record Book. This will entail the inclusion of a list consisting of eight codes that accurately represent various ballast water operations, thereby enhancing clarity and consistency when making entries in the BWRB.

Concurrently, the MEPC has endorsed consequential revisions to the Guidelines for BWM and the development of BWM Plans (G4) and the Guidelines for Ballast Water Exchange (G6).

To facilitate the implementation of the revised BWRB, the MEPC has also approved guidance documents (BWM.2/Circ.80) that provide comprehensive instructions for record-keeping and reporting under the BWM Convention.

These significant amendments were prompted by feedback by INTERTANKO. Since September 2017, INTERTANKO has sought clarification due to conflicting interpretations received from various entities, including Administrations, class societies, port State Authorities, and third-party auditors, regarding entries in the BWRB for different ballast water operations.

Subsequently, INTERTANKO conducted an extensive review of the issue, gathering inputs and feedback from Members while also engaging with multiple Administrations and port State Authorities to seek clarifications on their interpretations. As a result, INTERTANKO published the "Commentary on Entries in the BWRB" in May 2020, aiming to address the existing ambiguity within Appendix II of the Convention and provide guidance on making entries in the BWRB for various ballast operation scenarios.

In April 2021, INTERTANKO formally raised the issue with the MEPC during its 76th session (MEPC 76) by submitting the publication, document MEPC 76/INF.20 and to highlight the divergent interpretations among Administrations, port State Authorities, Class Societies, and third-party auditors and inspectors when examining recorded ballast water activities in the BWRB. This submission prompted the MEPC to take action on the matter.

INTERTANKO subsequently collaborated with Australia, Canada, China, India, the Netherlands, and Singapore to develop proposed guidelines for completing the BWRB and ensuring proper ballast water record-keeping and reporting, as presented in documents MEPC 80/4/5 and MEPC 80/4/7. BWM.2/Circ.80 were based on the proposed guidelines.

Thanks to the efforts of INTERTANKO's Environmental Committee and members who provided input, these amendments and the subsequent guidance documents represent a significant stride toward harmonising interpretations and standardising record-keeping practices for ballast water operations. They will contribute to improved compliance with the BWM Convention within the industry.