ANNEX GUIDELLINES FOR THE CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT OF SHIPS' BALLAST WATER TO MINIMIZE THE TRANSFER OF HARMFUL AQUATIC ORGANISMS AND PATHOGENS
1 Introduction
1.1 Studies carried out in several countries have shown that many species of bacteria, plants, and animals can survive in a viable form in the ballast water and sediment carried in ships, even after journeys of several months' duration. Subsequent discharge of ballast water or sediment into the waters of port States may result in the establishment of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens which may pose threats to indigenous human, animal and plant life, and the marine environment. Although other media have been identified as being responsible for transfer organisms between geographically separated water bodies, ballast water discharge from ships appears to have been among the most prominent.
1.2 The potential for ballast water discharge to cause harm has been recognised not only by the International Maritime Organization but also by the World Health Organization, which is concerned about the role of ballast water as a medium for the spreading of epidemic disease bacteria.
1.3 These Guidelines are not to be regarded as a certain solution to the problem. Rather, each part of them should be viewed as a tool which, if correctly applied, will help to minimize the risks associated with ballast water discharge. As scientific and technological advances are made, the Guidelines will be refined to enable the risk to be more adequately addressed. In the interim, port States, flag States and other parties that can assist in mitigating this problem should exercise due care and diligence in an effort to conform to the maximum extent possible with the Guidelines.
1.4 The selection of appropriate methods of risk minimization will depend upon several factors, including the type or types of organisms being targeted, the level of risk involved, its environmental acceptability, the economic and ecological costs involved and the safety of ships.
2 Definitions
For the purposes of these Guidelines, the following definitions apply:
Administration means the Government of the State under whose authority the ship is operating.
Convention means MARPOL 73/78 (International onal Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, and the Protocol of 1978 related thereto).
Member States means States that are Members of the International Maritime Organization.
Organization means the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Port State authority means any official or organization authorized by the Government of a port State to administer guidelines or enforce standards and regulations relevant to the implementation of national and international shipping control measures.
Treatment means a process or mechanical, physical, chemical or biological method to kill, remove or render infertile, harmful or potentially harmful organisms within ballast water.
3 Application
The Guidelines are directed to Member States and can apply to all ships; however, a port State authority shall determine the extent to which they do apply.
