IMO amended Appendix II of the BWM Convention

The International Maritime Organization amended Appendix II of the BWM Convention regarding the form of the Ballast Water Record Book.

Resolution MEPC.369(80) was adopted on 7 July 2023 and will enter into force on 1 February 2025.

Foreword

The Marine Environment Protection Committee, recalling Article 38(a) of the Convention on the International Maritime Organization concerning the functions of the Marine Environment Protection Committee conferred upon it by international conventions for the prevention and control of marine pollution from ships,

Recalling also article 19 of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (the BWM Convention), which specifies the amendment procedure and confers upon the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the Organization the function of considering amendments thereto for adoption by the Parties,

Having considered, at its eightieth session, proposed amendments to appendix II of the BWM Convention regarding the form of Ballast Water Record Book,

Adopts, in accordance with article 19(2)(c) of the BWM Convention, amendments to appendix II, the text of which is set out in the annex to the present resolution;

Determines, in accordance with article 19(2)(e)(ii) of the BWM Convention, that the amendments shall be deemed to have been accepted on 1 August 2024 unless, prior to that date, more than one third of the Parties have notified the Secretary-General that they object to the amendments;

Invites the Parties to note that, in accordance with article 19(2)(f)(ii) of the BWM Convention, the said amendments shall enter into force on 1 February 2025 upon their acceptance in accordance with paragraph 2 above;

Requests the Secretary-General, for the purposes of article 19(2)(d) of the BWM Convention, to transmit certified copies of the present resolution and the text of the amendments contained in the annex to all Parties to the BWM Convention;

Also requests the Secretary-General to transmit copies of the present resolution and its annex to Members of the Organization which are not Parties to the BWM Convention;

Further requests the Secretary-General to prepare a consolidated certified text of the BWM Convention.

Annex

Introduction

In accordance with regulation B-2 of the annex to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, a record is to be kept of each ballast water operation. This includes discharges at sea and to reception facilities.

"Ballast water" means water with its suspended matter taken on board a ship to control trim, list, draught, stability, or stresses of a ship. Management of ballast water shall be in accordance with an approved Ballast Water Management Plan and taking into account guidelines developed by the Organization.

The Ballast Water Record Book entries should be completed taking into account any guidelines to be developed by the Organization.

The volume of ballast water on board should be estimated in cubic metres. It is recognized that the accuracy of estimating volumes of ballast is left to interpretation.

ENTRIES IN THE BALLAST WATER RECORD BOOK:

Entries in the Ballast Water Record Book shall be made on each of the following occasions:

(A) When ballast water is taken on board from the aquatic environment (ballasting operation):

1. Start time and location (port of uptake or latitude/longitude).
2. Completion time and location (port of uptake or latitude/longitude and minimum depth of water during uptake).
3. The identity of the tanks affected.
4. Estimated volume of uptake and final total quantity retained in cubic metres.
5. Whether conducted in accordance with the approved Ballast Water Management Plan.
6. Ballast water treatment method.

(B) When ballast water is discharged into the aquatic environment (deballasting operation):

1. Start time and location (port of discharge or latitude/longitude).
2. Completion time and location (port of discharge or latitude/longitude and minimum depth of water during discharge).
3. The identity of the tanks affected.
4. Estimated volume of discharge and final total quantity retained in cubic metres.
5. Whether conducted in accordance with the approved Ballast Water Management Plan.
6. Ballast water treatment method.

(C) Whenever ballast water is exchanged, treated through internal circulation, or treated in tank:

1. Ballast water exchange:
   1. Start time and location (latitude/longitude).
   2. Completion time and location (latitude/longitude).
   3. Minimum distance from the nearest land and minimum depth of water during the exchange or, if applicable, identify the designated exchange area in accordance with regulation B-4.2.
   4. Whether conducted in accordance with the Ballast Water Management Plan and state the ballast water exchange method (Sequential or Flow-through or Dilution) used.
   5. The identity of the tanks affected.
   6. Total quantity exchanged and final total quantity on board in cubic meters.
   7. Treatment method for the incoming ballast water.
2. Ballast water internal circulation for treatment or in-tank treatment:
   1. Start time.
   2. Completion time.
   3. The identity of the tanks affected (identifying source and destination tanks if applicable).
   4. Total quantity treated (through circulation or in tank) in cubic meters.
   5. Ballast water treatment method.

(D) Uptake or discharge of ballast water from/to a port-based or reception facility:

1. Start time and location of uptake/discharge (state facility name).
2. Completion time.
3. Operation carried out (whether uptake or discharge).
4. The identity of the tanks affected.
5. Total quantity in cubic meters and final quantity retained on board.
6. Whether conducted in accordance with the approved Ballast Water Management Plan.
7. Onboard ballast water treatment method.

(E) Accidental discharge/ingress or other exceptional uptake or discharge of ballast water:

1. Start time and location of ingress/uptake/discharge (port name or latitude/longitude).
2. Completion time.
3. Operation carried out (whether ingress, uptake or discharge).
4. The identity of the tanks affected.
5. Total quantity of ballast water in cubic meters.
6. State the circumstances of ingress, uptake, discharge, or loss, the reason thereof, any treatment method used, and general remarks.

(F) Failures and inoperabilities* of the ballast water management system:

1. Time and location (port name or latitude/longitude) of failure of the ballast water management system.
2. Operation carried out (state whether uptake or discharge).
3. Description of the issue (e.g., kind of alarm or other description of circumstances).
4. Time and location (port name or latitude/longitude) when the ballast water management system has been made operational.

*Failures and inoperabilities include malfunctions, shutdowns, or critical alarms indicating a failure of the ballast water management system which may indicate non-compliance with the D-2 standard (except routine information and warnings).

(G) Ballast tank cleaning/flushing, removal, and disposal of sediments:

1. Time and ship's location on commencement of ballast tank cleaning/flushing, removal or disposal of sediments (port name or latitude/longitude).
2. Time and ship's location on completion of ballast tank cleaning/flushing, removal or disposal of sediments (port name or latitude/longitude).
3. Tank(s) identification (name of the ballast tanks as per the Ballast Water Management Plan).
4. Discharge or disposal to a reception facility (state quantity in cubic meters and name of the facility).
5. Disposal or discharge to the aquatic environment as per Ballast Water Management Plan (state quantity in cubic meters, minimum distance from the nearest land in nautical miles, and minimum depth of water in meters).

(H) Additional operational procedures and general remarks:

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):

Amendments to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004