IMO’s efforts to help prevent the spread of potentially harmful invasive aquatic species were highlighted at the ACI 16th Ballast Water Management Conference in Antwerp, Belgium (9-10 November). The Ballast Water Management Convention will enter into force on 8 September 2017, requiring ships to manage their ballast water in order to protect local ecosystems around the world.
In his keynote presentation to the conference, Markus Helavuori outlined developments related to the Convention during IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee’s 70th session in October. The Committee adopted revised guidelines to update the approval procedures for ballast water management systems (BWMS), including more robust test and performance specifications as well as more detailed requirements for type approval reporting and control and monitoring equipment.