Lecture 5.

Environmental Threats from The Use of Ballast Water

In this Lecture we will take a look at the importance of ballast water to a ship as well as how certain levels can
adversely affect the environment. Ballast water is necessary for the optimal operation of ships. It’s also necessary
for loading and unloading items and cargo from the ship in question. The Ballast water is placed on ship before it
heads out if it has recently unloaded cargo or isn’t currently carrying any cargo. The extra weight provides stability
to the ship allowing it to reach its destination without issue. When a ship heads out into the open waters, ballast
water provides the ship with stability as well as the capacity to effectively maneuver in the water. No matter how
much ballast water you use, it’s important that you properly monitor and maintain the water. Without doing so,
you could be damaging the surrounding environment by introducing harmful organisms to areas that aren’t able
to accommodate them.

What is Ballast Water?

Ballast is a substance that can be used to provide stability to a ship while it’s out on the sea. The main substance
that acts as a ballast is water, which is taken onto the ship and stored in a large tank. This water is typically
discharged upon arrival at the next port in the event that cargo is being taken on. Ballast water can be easily added
to the tank on the ship before it leaves port, which usually occurs once cargo has been unloaded. At this point,
water will be taken directly into the ballast tank to make sure that the ship can operate and maneuver safely until
it arrives at its next port of call. The water is able to get into the ballast tank simply by opening the necessary
valves. Along with making sure that the ship is stable, ballast water also ensures that the rudder and propeller
work efficiently. During the voyage, water can be discharged when entering shallow water. Once the ship arrives
at the destination port, all of the water should be discharged to make way for the cargo.

Why is ballast water important for the operation of a ship.?

There are many reasons why ballast water is important for the operation of a ship.
1. For one, it can reduce the stress placed on the hull of the ship while also keeping the ship stable.
2. When a propeller is submerged into the water, the ballast will help the propulsion plant keep its efficiency.
3. It’s also important to understand that the constant use of fuel by the ship when in operation will cause
some weight loss, which can be counteracted by the ballast tanks.

While ballast water is highly important for the safe operation of practically any ship, there are some environmental
concerns that you should be aware of. These concerns arise because of how the water is collected onto the ship
and dispersed from it.

The Impacts of Ballast Water on the Environment

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The important question is What are the Environmental hazards or Threats associated with
ballast water and What is ballast pollution?
Ballast water are either salt or fresh water held in tanks attached to the ship’s hull structure and may contain
aquatic organisms or pathogens, which, if introduced into the sea including estuaries, or into fresh water courses,
may create hazards to the environment, human and health. The introduction of invasive marine species into new
environments by ships' ballast water attached to ships' hulls and via other vectors has been identified as one of
the four greatest threats to the world's oceans.

How does ballast water affect the environment?

Ballast water impacts the environment by introducing harmful organisms to areas that aren’t able to accommodate
them. When the ballast water is discharged and the organisms are released into new environments, If
suitable conditions exist in this release environment, these species will survive and reproduce and become
invasive species. In this respect, ballast water may contain aquatic organisms or pathogens, which, if introduced
into the sea including estuaries, or into fresh water courses, may create hazards to the environment, human health,
property or resources, impair biological diversity or interfere with other legitimate uses of such area.

What is the main issue with ballast water?

The main issue with ballast water when it concerns the environment is that the collection of the water into the
ballast tanks stirs up sediments and microscopic organisms that are introduced directly into the ballast tank. Most
of these organisms will survive in the voyage from the departure port to the destination port, after which they will
be discharged into the water surrounding the destination port.

The main issue is that this water is taken from another location, which means that the microscopic organisms are
placed into a source of water that they don’t originate from. The problems that this causes for the environment
include:
1) The possibility that native species become extinct
2) Potential negative effects on public health
3) Negative effects for coastal industries that rely on water extraction
4) Negative effects for regional and local biodiversity

All of these issues have the potential to take place because of what happens when the organisms are introduced
to new environments. If the water has the right conditions for the organisms to survive, it’s possible that they will
be able to reproduce and become a dangerous invasive species. There are times when the organism will even
become the dominant species in the area, which can cause native species to go extinct and create real problems
with the region’s biodiversity.

Ballast Water Threats to Biodiversity

Ballast water is particularly negative for biodiversity because of how much ballast water has been used over the
past couple of decades due to traffic and trade volume expanding greatly in time. Studies have shown that invasive
aquatic species are among the top four greatest threats to the oceans around the world, which ballast water directly
contributes to; as aquatic species are supposed to exist in a single area. When these species are collected in ballast

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water, they are taken from one port to another, which means that they will be discharged from the ballast tank
into a new environment that is not made to accommodate the species. At first, these organisms may simply be
known as non-native species. However, they can turn into invasive species if it’s believed that the organisms will
cause harm to the surrounding environment, human health, or the greater economy. The introduction of invasive
species to different environments can pose problems to both freshwater and marine ecosystems.

Management of Ballast Water

It’s important to manage the ballast water that your ship uses because it will allow you to protect the environment
while also meeting any regulatory requirements in your region. Under the International Maritime Organization,
every ship that moves through international waters is required to meet water treatment standards for ballast water.
When you treat the water properly, invasive species and harmful organisms should be eliminated from the water,
which should mean that bacteria and invasive plants don’t spread to other ecosystems. You will be helping the
environment and biodiversity significantly when you manage your ballast water. By not introducing invasive
organisms and species to the water in areas where you discharge ballast water, native species will be able to
survive, which also means that any issues with public health or the local economy could be effectively avoided.

Environmental Threats from the use of Anti-fouling systems

The new Convention defines “anti-fouling systems” as “a coating, paint, surface treatment, surface or device that
is used on a ship to control or prevent attachment of unwanted organisms”. Anti-fouling paints are used to coat
the bottoms of ships to prevent sea life such as algae and mollusks attaching themselves to the hull – thereby
slowing down the ship and increasing fuel consumption.

In the early days of sailing ships, lime and later arsenic were used to coat ships' hulls, until the modern chemicals
industry developed effective anti-fouling paints using metallic compounds. These compounds slowly "leach" into
the sea water, killing barnacles and other marine life that have attached to the ship. But studies have shown that
these compounds persist in the water, killing sea life, harming the environment and possibly entering the food
chain.

One of the most effective anti-fouling paints, developed in the 1960s, contains the organotin tributylin (TBT),
which has been proven to cause deformations in oysters and sex changes in whelks. The harmful environmental
effects of organotin compounds were recognized by IMO in 1989. In 1990 IMO’s Marine Environment Protection
Committee (MEPC) adopted a resolution which recommended that Governments adopt measures to eliminate the
use of anti-fouling paint containing TBT on non-aluminum hulled vessels of less than 25 metres in length and
eliminate the use of anti-fouling paints with a leaching rate of more than four microgrammes of TBT per day.

In November 1999, IMO adopted an Assembly resolution that called on the MEPC to develop an instrument,
legally binding throughout the world, to address the harmful effects of anti-fouling systems used on ships. The
resolution called for a global prohibition on the application of organotin compounds which act as biocides in anti-
fouling systems on ships by 1 January 2003, and a complete prohibition by 1 January 2008. This instrument was
later adopted as the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships. The
International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships, which was adopted on 5
October 2001, will prohibit the use of harmful organotin compounds in anti-fouling paints used on ships and will
establish a mechanism to prevent the potential future use of other harmful substances in anti-fouling systems.

Under the terms of the Convention, Parties to the Convention are required to prohibit and/or restrict the use of
harmful anti-fouling systems on ships flying their flag, as well as ships not entitled to fly their flag but which
operate under their authority and all ships that enter a port, shipyard or offshore terminal of a Party.

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Annex 1 attached to the Convention states that by an effective date of 1 January 2003, all ships shall not apply or
re-apply organotins compounds which act as biocides in anti-fouling systems, and by 1 January 2008 (effective
date), ships either:

I. shall not bear such compounds on their hulls or external parts or surfaces; or
II. shall bear a coating that forms a barrier to such compounds leaching from the underlying non-compliant
anti-fouling systems.

This applies to all ships (except fixed and floating platforms, floating storage units (FSUs), and floating
production storage and off-loading units (FPSOs) that have been constructed prior to 1 January 2003 and that
have not been in dry-dock on or after 1 January 2003).

Ships of above 400 gross tonnage and above engaged in international voyages (excluding fixed or floating
platforms, FSUs and FPSOs) will be required to undergo an initial survey before the ship is put into service or
before the International Anti-fouling System Certificate is issued for the first time; and a survey when the anti-
fouling systems are changed or replaced.

Ships of 24 metres or more in length but less than 400 gross tonnage engaged in international voyages (excluding
fixed or floating platforms, FSUs and FPSOs) will have to carry a Declaration on Anti-fouling Systems signed
by the owner or authorized agent. The Declaration will have to be accompanied by appropriate documentation
such as a paint receipt or contractor invoice.

Conservational threats from Chemical Pollution to the Marine Environment

Chemical Waste can Impacts on Aquatic Life or Water Quality reasons being that, the improper handling of
chemical waste has resulted in oceans and the world's water supply being treated like sewage or toxic waste
dumps. Humans have introduced a significant number of chemicals into the environment. While some chemicals
are designed to get rid of weeds and pests, a significant amount of chemicals are waste from industrial and
agricultural processes. While it may seem fine for industrial plants or manufacturers to dispose of two inert
chemicals, when those chemicals are mixed the result could be a serious pollutant to the water supply. As streams,
rivers, and oceans become polluted, aquatic life can suffer as well as humans. Since water accounts for up to 60
percent of human bodies, it's important for chemicals to be disposed of properly and not end up in the water
supply. Even if you believe the chemical, you are throwing down the drain is fine on its own merits, what if your
neighbor is thinking the same thing and the two chemicals combine in the sewer system?

What Are the Chemical Sources of Marine Pollution?

Chemical pollution us the result of Common man-made pollutants that reach the ocean. These pollutants may
include pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, detergents, oil, industrial chemicals, and sewage. Many ocean
pollutants are released into the environment far upstream from coastlines.

How Does Chemical Pollution Affect the Environment?

In some cases, chemical pollution can kill populations of beneficial species that support ecosystems, like bees.
When long-term exposure to chemical pollutants causes native species within an ecosystem to die, the area
experiences a loss of diversity and becomes more vulnerable to invasive and undesirable species.

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How Does Chemical Pollution Affect Marine Life?
When a toxic waste harms one organism, it can end up destroying an entire food chain of aquatic life. Improperly
disposed chemicals pollute marine life and kills sea mammals, corals, and fish. At the same time, sea birds are
affected because they eat the fish.

The Impact of Chemicals on Aquatic Life

Already two-thirds of aquatic life is considered to be an endangered species because of improperly disposed
chemicals and other waste. However, businesses do not have to dump chemicals into water sources for the effects
to be seen. Anytime you dump or release chemical waste, it will have an effect. As it rains, those chemicals are
washed into rivers, which feeds the waterfalls and then goes into the ocean. When a toxic waste harms one
organism, it can end up destroying an entire food chain of aquatic life. Improperly disposed chemicals
pollute marine life and kills sea mammals, corals, and fish. At the same time, sea birds are affected because they
eat the fish. In a matter of fact, any organism that digests affected marine life can have adverse effects.

The Impact of Chemicals on Mammals and Humans

Biomagnification is a process in which animals higher in the food chain - humans - accumulate these harmful
toxins in significantly high concentrations. Simply put, predators higher on the food chain are much more likely
to have genetic mutations, diseases, birth defects, and several other deleterious effects of improper certified
product destruction.
The long list of harmful pollutants destroying marine and life on land include:
I. Chemical waste and byproducts
II. Garbage
III. Waste water
IV. Farming and other agricultural chemicals

Examples of Aquatic Pollution

Over the years, the disposal of chemical waste in agriculture has led to a significant increase in phosphorous and
nitrogen. When it comes to water, too much of these nutrients induces eutrophication, which causes the excessive
growth of algae and phytoplankton with devastating consequences. Too much algae produces algal blooms, which
spreads toxins known as "brown tides" or "red tides". Both red tides and brown tides are responsible for killing
seabirds, fish, marine mammals, and harm humans. When these harmful blooms die, the bacteria consume all of
the oxygen and creates a dead zone and fish cannot live in this area.

Another example of aquatic pollution is with acid rain, which is the result of certain chemicals. In particular, acid
rain is the result of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide forming to make mild acidic compounds. Acid rain is
responsible for leaching the soils toxic aluminum. At really low levels, acid rain can simply stress the fish in
streams and lakes. However, at higher levels, acid rain can kill them. In addition, acid rain causes trees to become
weaker and creates harmful air pollution to humans.

What Are Detergents?

Detergents can be most simply understood as organic compounds widely used in both homes and industrial
process. The main way detergents enter into water is through sewage. There are two different types of detergents
and each has different characteristics.

I. Phosphate detergents are used in hard water to soften it and to assist in the suspension of dirt in water.
These detergents are extremely caustic.
II. Surfactant detergents are extremely toxic. These types of detergents are used to bolster the foaming,
wetting, emulsifying, and dispersing properties of detergents.

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Home Work 1
1. Write a report discussing the Environmental threats from bilge water/waste oil, highlighting the
consequence or impacts of Untreated bilge water and how it is known to cause marine pollution.
2. Explain how Ship Bilge Water can pose Serious Risk and clarify the Major Compliance Issue

3. Report on the Environmental Threats from Ship Scrapping and Recycling highlighting the
Environmental challenges from ship recycling arising from the hazardous materials contained on board.