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Ballast Water Management: What We Need to Know and How to Comply

Is anyone having deja vu? Every time a new regulation is in force, companies, and seafarers inevitably wonder if this is the last major regulation that they have to worry about. We have seen this before with Marpol Annex VI, ECDIS, EU MRV, and many others. It's a fair question to ask, though. After all, everyone is managing regulations these days instead of managing ships. While we may or may not be critical of new regulations each year the truth is we have to comply with these regulations. And the first step to compliance is understanding the regulation inside out. The regulation we will discuss today is "Ballast water management". Let us start. Ballast water management convention? In 1988, Canada and Australia raised the issue of invasive species brought to their waters through the discharge of ballast water by ships. What could be the problem with these invasive species or with ballast water, one may ask. The problem is highlighted in the below video by IMO. The problem was real and IMO started the work to address this issue. After more than 14 years of complex negotiations between the IMO Member States, the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) was adopted on 13 February 2004...

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Comments (37)

Comment.

DEEPAK SINGH October 16, 2018

Beautifully explained sir. Do ships started carrying BWM certificate after BWM convention came into force? If I had no BWM plan and no BWM certificate before 8sep2017, would it cause my ship running into troubles with PSCs?

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Rajeev Jassal December 17, 2018

BWM Plan and BWM certificate was only required once BWM convention entered into force.

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Ilias June 20, 2020

So if a vessel has an approved D2 system should proceed with ballast exchange or not ? What about OSPAR convention if she comes from open seas .As an example departed from Hazira and bounding to Argentina with D2 what she is going to do?Ballast exchange or not ?

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Anthony da costa March 5, 2019

Dear sir suppose I have been facing heavy weather and vessel rolling heavily is it right for me to carry out ballast exchange and how will not the BM and AD increase and causing FSC

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Mounir August 6, 2021

According the the ballast water convention :"A ship conducting Ballast Water exchange shall not be required to comply with paragraphs 1 or 2, as appropriate, if the master reasonably decides that such exchange would threaten the safety or stability of the ship, its crew, or its passengers because of adverse weather, ship design or stress, equipment failure, or any other extraordinary condition." Reg. B-4.4

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HABIBUR RAHMAN January 6, 2022

Don't you think Master need to seek approval from flag?

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Sarin Hari October 2, 2019

sir, your art of simplyfing complicated topics is highly applaudable....Thanks a lot...its helps in my class 1 prepration a lot...Please shed light on Wreck convention and who gives COFR?..Thanks

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Akim Bleke October 5, 2019

Dear Sir, When do ships actually have to apply the D1 or D2 standard ? Every voyage, always ? Or only when the arrival port state requires treated ballast water ? This is not clear to me. Currently, our vessels move between ports without doing anything ! (Not exchanging, not treating). Please clarify with referenced material. Thank you ! Capt Akim Bleke

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Mounir August 6, 2021

Ballast water shall be exchanged or treated as applicable in all voyages. According to Regulation A-2 "Except where expressly provided otherwise, the discharge of Ballast Water shall only be conducted through Ballast Water Management in accordance with the provisions of this Annex." If your ship is currently not managing ballast water in accordance with standard D-1 or D-2 then the ship is not complying with the provisions of the BWM Convention;

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Benny Tan March 24, 2020

Dear Sir, Is ballast exchange still necessary once fitted with BWTS? Understand BWTS serves as a filter (larger organism and residues are removed) and treatment (smaller organisms, batceria and pathogens are killed), how about the solubles (oils, chemicals, etc) especially when the ballast is taken in coastal and/or river ports. Could you share your views on this. Thanks.

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Collin Singh April 8, 2020

Dear Captain Rajeev Jassal Thanks for your valuable explanation very informative indeed.

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Kadir Sert April 26, 2020

Thanks

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Amar anand May 21, 2020

nice article sir....

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GEORGIOS PAPACHATZIS May 28, 2020

Best explanation i have ever read abou the topic.Simple and on point. Thank you very much captain!!

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Mukesh June 14, 2020

is it compulsary to use ballast water treatment system when we are doing ballast water exchange at sea??

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Henri July 7, 2020

very valuable for all those who work at sea and on land..thank you

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Dipak Kumar July 11, 2020

It helps me a lot thank you sir

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Popov Alexander August 20, 2020

Thanks a lot. The best expansion I have ever met.

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JOBIN JOHN MARY October 16, 2020

Sir can u plz make an topic with off heading and off course alarms as many have confused regarding this

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Raymond October 29, 2020

Thanks

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Ray December 7, 2020

Thanks was very helpful indeed

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Sergey December 25, 2020

Please clarify the question below . If the ship has the ballast water treatment system do i have to exchange ballast if the ship sails from a one region to an other ? For example a ship takes ballast at Rotterdam and going to discharge it in Italian port or in port of Romania.

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Mounir August 6, 2021

Hi, there are two cases: First Case, if the ship is fitted with an approved BWMT system before the D-2 standard is compulsory for that ship (i.e before the first IOPP renewal survey after 7sep2019), then the ship can do BW exchange (D-1) or BW treatment (D-2), in this case the BWM certificate will show that both methodes are acceptable. Second Case, when the D-2 standard become compulsory for the ship (after the first IOPP renewal survey after 7sep2019), only BWT system is to be used, and the BW certificate will show that this is the only acceptable mean.

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Sergey March 26, 2021

Good day, thanks for info, however I got question that might be helpful (I mean an answer) for other seafarers : vsl was at dry dock , before on board was D-1, at dry dock installed approved BWTS , certificate by class mentioned D-2 only. At Ballast management plan shown “flow through method” in spite of fact that flow trough pipes were blinded at dry dock. Pls advice if “flow trough” can be mentioned at new BMP after installation of BWTS and been by class on D-2 and if I’m right that there a mistake in companies BMP? Thanks in advance

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Mounir August 6, 2021

Hi Sergey, the BWM plan shall be specific to the ship. The BWM plan shall clearly describe how the ship shall comply with the convention. with regard to your ship, the BWM plan shall indicate that the D-2 standard is used on board. Description of the "flow through method" is then not relevant. However, in my opinion, the D-1 can be described in the BWM plan as an alternative mean for managing BW in case the BWMT system is out of order for example. Of course, the BWM plan shall be approved by the Flag/RO.

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Nigel Mitchell March 11, 2022

If I have a BWTS fitted and only ballasting / deballasting outside of port / territorial limits do I still require to use the BWTS or can this be bypassed as we presently use a gravity ballasting method. Thanks

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Fatih Erden April 1, 2021

As per BWMC 2004 Reg B2-5 each operation concerning ballast water shall be fully recorded without any delay to the log book. This is not so practicable at chemical tankers. Some cargo operations require ballast operations more often (For example : deballasting 25 cbm from WBT3S or ballasting 15 cbm to WBT7P even more operations like this) Which ballast operation to be recorded in case of there are many and complicated ballast operations are in progress? Even 1 cbm of ballast water opreration to be recorded or not? Definition of the ballast operation to be more clarified for the records. Depending on duration or quantity of the ballast water etc. On the first pages of Ballast Water Record Book there are some examples shown. However these examples are showing only total ballast handled. It is more convenient to bulk carriers. Chief Officers are struggling with explaining this unpracticable records to the 3rd party inspections.

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CHANDAN KUMAR May 26, 2021

DEAR SIR ,AS OF NOW INDIA HAS NOT RATIFIED THE BWMS CONVENTION ,IF A FOREIGN SHIP IS COMING TO INDIAN PORT AND PSCO DO THE INSPECTION OF THE SHIP AND THEY FOUND THAT THERE IS DEFICIENCY UNDER BWMS CONVETION THEN CAN INDIA DETAIN THAT PARTICULAR SHIP.

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Mounir August 6, 2021

Short answer : NO. the right to board the ship and verify compliance with the provisions of the BWM convention is only for parties to that convention.

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Quader August 24, 2021

My BWM certificate issued by LR showing vessel method applied is both D1 & D2. Please advise if i need to use BWTP D2 only or i can use exchange D1 as my wish. It is ok, if i take normal water without BWTP, & at sea disch untreated water take water through plant.

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sumit kajla November 2, 2021

awesome explanation sir .. we are clearing mate exams through reading your blogs

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Justin Edattukaran June 2, 2022

Excellent explanation on BWM convention...Much appreciated the efort taken by you to prepare this blog and thank you so much Sir..

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Sanchez July 13, 2022

Good day, If is any restrictions for vessel speed during BWE? During DD refit installed new BWTS which is approved by class how to exchange water from yard? What is the proper way BWE and ballast treated water via BWTS....it is possible exchange water at the anchorage area if the same water was taken,????

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Milind Goyal October 3, 2022

If BWTS is in operational in a Port due to muddy waters . When we carryout BWE at Sea now using BWTS do we have to maintain 50 NM and 200 m depth while carrying out the exchange ?

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Abrar October 23, 2022

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About Capt Rajeev Jassal

Capt. Rajeev Jassal has sailed for over 24 years mainly on crude oil, product and chemical tankers. He holds MBA in shipping & Logistics degree from London. He has done extensive research on quantitatively measuring Safety culture onboard and safety climate ashore which he believes is the most important element for safer shipping.