Info on the Ballast Water Management Convention Adopted by the IMO

From DNV - Managing Risk

The IMO held an International Conference on Ballast Water Management for ships 9–13 February. The new International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments was adopted at the conference.
The main impact of these requirements is that ballast water exchange will be phased out as an acceptable method of complying with the Convention during the period from 2009 to 2016, depending on the vessel’s ballast water capacity and delivery date. After this, ballast water treatment will be the only remaining option for complying with the Convention. The Convention contains a treatment standard that cannot be met by current treatment methods and technology. However, the standard is believed to be obtainable by the time ballast water exchange is to be phased out. Should this not be the case, the Convention contains opportunities to reconsider and amend the treatment standard in line with technical developments.

Entry into force
The Convention will enter into force 12 months after ratification by 30 states which represent 35 per cent of the world’s merchant shipping tonnage.