BW MGT

Guidelines on Ballast Water Management
International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water
and Sediments (BWM) Adoption: 13 February 2004; Entry into force: 8 September
2017
Section 1 General Requirements and Guidance
Section 2 Ballast Water and Sediment
Management Plan (BWMP)
Section 3 Ballast Water Exchange for

Compliance with the D-1 Standard of the
BWM
Convention and Assignment of Class
Notation BWM (D1
Section 4 Ballast Water Management

Systems for Compliance with D-2
Standard of
the BWM Convention
26-04-
compiled_capt.RGU 2020
1
Invasive aquatic species present a major threat
to the marine ecosystems, and shipping has
been identified as a major pathway for
introducing species to new environments. The
problem increased as trade and traffic volume
expanded over the last few decades, and in
particular with the introduction of steel hulls,
allowing vessels to use water instead of solid
materials as ballast. The effects of the
introduction of new species have in many areas
of the world been devastating.
compiled_capt.RGU 26-04-2020 2
Quantitative data show the rate of
bio-invasions is continuing to
increase at an alarming rate. As the
volumes of seaborne trade continue
overall to increase, the problem may
not yet have reached its peak.
However, the Ballast Water Management
Convention, adopted in 2004, aims to prevent
the spread of harmful aquatic organisms from
one region to another, by establishing
standards and procedures for the
management and control of ships' ballast
water and sediments
Under the Convention, all ships in international traffic are
required to manage their ballast water and sediments to a
certain standard, according to a ship-specific ballast
water management plan. All ships will also have to carry
a ballast water record book and an international ballast
water management certificate. The ballast water
management standards will be phased in over a period of
time. As an intermediate solution, ships should exchange
ballast water mid-ocean. However, eventually most ships
will need to install an on-board ballast water treatment
system.
A number of guidelines have been developed to
facilitate the implementation of the Convention.
The Convention will require all ships to implement

a Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan.
All ships will have to carry a Ballast Water Record
Book and will be required to carry out ballast
water management procedures to a given
standard. Existing ships will be required to do the
same, but after a phase-in period.
The Convention is divided into Articles; and an
Annex which includes technical standards and
requirements in the Regulations for the control
and management of ships' ballast water and
sediments.

Ballast water
The purpose of the ballast water management
convention is to prevent the introduction of
invasive species from ships' ballast water.
The ballast water management
convention entered into force on 8 September
2017. Implementation
The requirements for the exchange of ballast
water, i.e. the so-called D-1 standard requiring
ballast water exchange on open seas, has
entered into force
The requirements for the treatment of ballast water, on
the other hand, i.e. the so-called D-2 standard requiring
the installation of a ballast water treatment system, will
enter into force as follows: Existing ships due for renewal
surveys during the period 8 September 2017 to 8
September 2019 are not required to have treatment
systems installed until during the period 8 September
2022 to 8 September 2024, and ships of less than 400 GT
must comply with the D-2 requirements by 8 September
2024, at the latest.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has
developed legislation that regulates management
of ballast water from ships with the aim to
minimize the risk of introducing non-native species
through the discharge of ballast water and
sediments into other coastal regions. The
“International Convention for the
Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water
and Sediments, 2004” (hereafter referred to as
BWM
Convention) provides for different methods to
achieve this objective,
BWM methods
1. BW exchange
FLOW THROUGH , Sequential , Dilution
2. BW Treatment
MECHANICAL
CHEMICAL
PHYSICAL
Depending on ballast water capacity and construction date
of the ship, the applicable method is specified
in an implementation schedule in BWM Convention
Regulation B-3 ‘Ballast Water Management for Ships’
and its supporting Circulars
Regulation D-1 or D-2: Which one applies
to which ships?
Vessels need to either comply with
regulation D-1 (Ballast exchange)
OR
Regulation D-2 (Ballast water
treatment system).
BWM convention regulation B-3 provides
this information
Below is the amended schedule for compliance with the
D-2 regulation.
The above schedule may look confusing because the
reference date is taken as the ballast water convention
ratification date (08 Sept 2017).
But we can simplify it a bit. So in simple terms, as per
the revised regulation B-3
 New ships (built on or after 08 Sept 2017) must meet
D-2 standards.
 Existing ships (built before 08 Sept 2017) must meet D-
2 standards at first IOPP renewal survey after 08 Sept
2019.
 All vessel must comply with D-2 standards before 08
Sept 2024.
Ballast water management plan
BWM convention, regulation B-1 requires the ships
to have an approved Ballast water management
plan.
The ballast water management plan is a ship
specific plan and has all the details related to the
compliance with BWM convention.
For example, it lists if the regulation D-1 is
applicable to the vessel or regulation D-2.
In the case of regulation D-1, the approved
process of achieving 95% of volumetric
exchange of ballast will be provided in the
BWM plan.
It would also contain the safety consideration
for ballast water exchange.
For example the information about the set of
ballast tanks that can be exchanged together
along with the ship’s stability during this
process.
If regulation D-2 is applicable then the
BWM plan would contain the information
about Ballast water treatment system.
And the BWM plan provides information
about the handling of sediments from the
ballast water tanks.
Ballast water record book
Yes, another record book.
BWM convention regulation B-2 requires
the ships to have on board a “Ballast
water record book”.
An entry needs to be made for each
activity related to the ballast water.
Below are the entries that need to be made
 When Ballast Water is taken on board
 Whenever Ballast Water is circulated or
treated for
Ballast Water Management purposes
 When Ballast Water is discharged into the
sea
 When Ballast Water is discharged to a
reception facility
 Accidental or other exceptional uptake or
discharges of Ballast Water
ENTRIES CONTD
additional operational procedure and general
remarks
Codes given in the beginning pages of the
ballast water
record book need to be used for making
entries.
This is not much different from the entries we
make for oil record book or cargo record book
on tankers.
The initial survey is carried out to verify that
 the ship’s ballast water management plan complies with
the requirements of the convention.
 The equipment and procedures comply with the
requirements of the convention.
The ballast water management certificate is valid for 5
years subject to the annual surveys.
At the beginning of each BWMP, wording should be included
to reflect the regulations which are
relevant for the intended compliance, and should contain a
brief introduction for the ship’s crew,
explaining the need for ballast water management, and the
importance of accurate record keeping. As
required by the BWMC, the following notes have to be
included: This Ballast Water Management Plan
has been approved by the Administration and no alteration
or revision shall be made to any part of it
without the prior approval of the Administration.
The annual survey is carried out each year within three
months before or after each anniversary date.
Apart from that, an Intermediate survey is carried out
within three months before or after the second or third
anniversary date of the certificate.
Regulations in the Annex are not subject to approval and should
be updated independently from class by the master onboard. This
Ballast Water Management Plan may be inspected on request by
an authorized authority
National Regulations in the Annex are
not subject to approval and should be
updated independently from class by
the master onboard. This Ballast Water
Management Plan may be inspected on
request by an authorized authority
The following data should be included:
(apart from ship’s particulars
Total ballast water capacity
• No. and capacity of ballast pumps
•Total number of segregated ballast tanks

on board,
capacities, centres of gravity, max. free
surface moments
•Appointed BWM officer (designation/rank
of officer)
Any other relevant info for BW mgt.

Type approval
Ballast water treatment systems are type-approved
according to IMO guidelines (G8), and ships calling
at US ports are type-approved according to a USCG
procedure. Ballast water treatment systems
approved according to G8 by 28 October 2018 may
be installed on board ships by 28 October 2020.
The Code for approval of ballast water treatment

systems (BWMS Code) must be used for type-
approvals after 28 October 2018, at the latest,
and systems installed on board ships must have
been approved according to the code after 28
October 2020.

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Guidelines on Ballast Water Management

Section 3 Ballast Water Exchange for

Section 4 Ballast Water Management

The Convention will require all ships to implement

FLOW THROUGH , Sequential , Dilution

•Total number of segregated ballast tanks

Any other relevant info for BW mgt.

The Code for approval of ballast water treatment

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