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Eco Services
Ballast Water Managment (BWM)
PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY & ECOSYSTEMS
Our structured BWM Convention service scheme for approval, survey, and certification aids ships in complying with IMO international regulations to minimize the transfer of hazardous aquatic organisms and pathogens in ballast water and associated sediments.

BWM Convention explained
The BWM Convention was adopted in 2004 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for developing global standards for ship safety and security and for the protection of the marine environment and the atmosphere from any harmful impacts of shipping.
The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) entered into force as of September 2017, towards halting the spread of invasive aquatic species, which can cause havoc for local ecosystems, affect biodiversity and lead to substantial economic loss.
Under the Convention’s requirements, ships will be required to manage their ballast water to remove, render harmless, or avoid the uptake or discharge of aquatic organisms and pathogens within ballast water and sediments.
BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN (BWMP)
Ships are required to have on board and implement an approved Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP). All ships have to carry a ballast water record book and are required to carry out ballast water management procedures to a given standard.
The BWM Plan is ship-specific and includes a detailed description of the actions to be taken to implement the Ballast Water Management requirements and supplemental Ballast Water Management practices.
A BWM Plan shall inter-alia:
- assist the ship in complying with international regulations to minimize the risk of the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ships’ ballast water and associated sediments;
- identify the ship’s Ballast Water Management Officer;
- consider ship safety elements, provide information to PSC officers on the ship’s ballast handling system and confirm that ballast water management can be effectively planned;
- include training on BWM operational practices;
- be written in the working language of the ship. If this language is not English, a translation into French or Spanish can be applied.
How we assist – review & approval services
INSB Class is delegated for the review and approval of the necessitated BWMP on behalf of an expanded number of authorizing Flag States according to the Convention’s requirements.
SURVEY PERIODICITY AND CERTIFICATION
Every vessel above 400 GT is subject to survey and certification. Vessels below 400 GT (excluding floating platforms, FSUs and FPSOs) will be subject to national survey and certification requirements. By the 8th of September 2017 all ships to which the Convention applies will be required to carry on board an “International Ballast Water Management Certificate”.
The survey and certification scheme under the BWM Convention is similar to other IMO Conventions and requires initial, annual/intermediate and renewal surveys.
On completion of an initial survey, an International Ballast Water Management Certificate will be issued for a vessel whose flag has ratified the BWM Convention. For vessels flying a flag that has not ratified the BWM Convention, an International Ballast Water Management Statement of Compliance will be issued. Both the Certificates and the Statements of Compliance will be valid for five years subject to annual/intermediate and renewal surveys.
How we assist – survey & certification
INSB Class is delegated to issue applicable certification and/or Statement of Compliance on behalf of an expanded number of authorizing Flag States subject to the performance of corresponding survey.
BALLAST WATER RECORD BOOK
Ships must have a Ballast Water Record Book to record when ballast water is taken on board; circulated or treated for Ballast Water Management purposes; and discharged into the sea. It should also record when Ballast Water is discharged to a reception facility and accidental or other exceptional discharges of Ballast Water.
Ships to which the Convention applies will be required to carry on board a “Ballast Water Record Book” for the recording of each operation concerning ballast water management.
Format of the Ballast Water Record Book can be found in Annex II of the BWM Convention.
EXEMPTIONS
Exemptions from the management of ballast water may be granted to ships on voyages between specified ports or operated exclusively between specified ports or locations when ballast water is not mixed other than between these ports or locations.
BWM & USCG REGULATIONS
Ships calling in US ports are required to possess a type-approved BWMS which is compliant with USCG regulations.
The USCG regulations require the same discharge standards as the IMO regulations, but the USCG regulations also contain some additional requirements regarding a ship’s operational procedures that expand the IMO’s requirements:
- Clean ballast tanks regularly to remove sediments
- Rinse anchors and chains when the anchor is retrieved
- Remove fouling from the hull, piping and tanks on a regular basis
- Keep records of ballast and fouling management
- Communicate a report form 24 hours ahead of calling at a US port
- Maintain a BWM Plan that includes the above supplemental requirements