A national workshop held in Havana, Cuba (22-24 October) aims to equip government officials with the knowledge and skills needed to ratify, implement and enforce IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM Convention).
The BWM Convention is intended to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms from one region to another in ships’ ballast water, which is taken on board ships for stability.
To support Cuba’s efforts towards ratification of the BWM Convention, 24 officials received training on the Convention and related Guidelines; obligations of Parties under the Convention; compliance monitoring and enforcement for port State control; and risk mitigation. Through presentations, group discussions and role-play exercises, the training aimed to strengthen Cuba’s national capacity for ratification, implementation and enforcement of the Convention.
The BWM Convention entered into force in 2017, representing a significant step towards protecting the marine environment, by preventing the transfer of invasive aquatic species by ship. The Convention requires all ships to manage their ballast water and sediments to a certain standard, according to a ship-specific management plan. All ships must also carry a Ballast Water Record Book and an International Ballast Water Management Certificate.
The workshop was implemented through IMO's Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP), with the support of RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe, and hosted by the Maritime Administration of Cuba.