Part A, Section 3 - Ballast Water
Exchange in Designated Alternate
Areas
A. Ballast Water Exchange
1
Alternate areas
where designated should
be based on
scientific information.
States, In
designating such areas,
shall take into
account environmental
effects on other
States, with a view to
avoiding the creation
of hazards for other
States.
2
Safety: When
exchanging ballast at
sea, guidance on safety
aspects of ba!last water
exchange as set out
in part B of the Appendix
shall be taken into
account.
3
Techniques: When
conducting ballast water
exchange, of the one
following techniques
shall be employed:
-
The sequential method. Where this
method is employed,
all of the
ballast water
should be discharged
until suction
is lost, and stipping
pumps or eductors
should be used if
possible;
-
The flow-through method. Where
this method is
employed in the deep
sea by pumping
ballast water into the
tank or hold
and allowing the water
to overflow,
at least three times the
tank volume should
be pumped through
the tank; and
-
Other ballast exchange options
approved by the
port State.
Proposed amendments Part A, Section
3.A
Australia proposes:
The heading (Part A, Section
3) should be changed to:
"Ballast Water Exchange
in Designated Areas and
on Voyages Other Than Deep Sea
Voyages." 32
The text "based on scientific
information"
in Section 3,A.1 must be changed
to "based on
scientific information where
practicable" 33
Sweden proposes the following:
Section 3 - Ballast Water Management Options Exchange
in Designated alternate Areas
for voyage
other than open ocean voyages34
When open ocean exchange of ballast water
cannot
be undertaken, requirements by
individual port States
or requirements developed within
regional agreements
may by in operation, and shall
be observed, provided
that they are consistent with
this Annex 35
A. Ballast Water Exchange in
Designated Alternate
Areas
3 Other ballast exchange options
approved by the port state 36
32 This is consistent with Regulation
4(4) and makes
its broad intention clear in the Code.
33 Otherwise Australia would be unable
to support this
clause in the Code or the definition
of "Deep Sea
Voyage" in the Regulations. Many
countries, including
Australia, will be faced with the need
to require a mid ocean
exchange during voyages other than Deep
Sea Voyages, and this
Section must therefore be practical in
its application.
Scientific information is unlikely to
be available for many
years for mid ocean areas less than 200
nautical miles
offshore and/or shallower than 500m in
depth. By including
this requirement these countries would
effectively be
prevented from requiring ballast water
exchange during
voyages other than those undertaken in
deep ocean as defined
in these Regulations.
34 Exchange in "Designated Alternate
Areas" is a
subsection of Section 3.
35 suggested new introductory text.
36 Move to the end of Section 3 as
3(D)
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MED/MN/HBu/jeh
MEPC 43/4
ANNEX 1
Page 31
Proposed amendments Part
A, Section 3.A (continued)
Hong Kong, China proposes:
The second paragraph of Part
A, Section 3A.3 is
amended as follows: "- The
flow-through method.
Where this method is employed,
in the deep
sea by pumping ballast water [is pumped]
into the tank or hold and allowing
the
water......".37
Part A,Section 3.B
B Non-release release of
ballast water
Ballast water may be retained
in tanks or holds.
Proposed amendments Part
A, Section 3.B
Hong Kong, China proposes: The
heading of Part A,
Section 3B is amended as:
"B Non-releases release
of ballast water"
37 The amendment is due to this Section 3
referring to non-deep sea voyage only
under Reg.4.4.
