BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT

Ballast water is essential for ship stability, as it compensates for changes in displacement as cargoes are loaded or discharged. It also helps control trim, list & stability as well as minimising stresses on the ship’s structure. However, over the last 25 years, environmental issues have taken an increasingly high profile. The conveying of organisms across the world and depositing them in regions where they are unwanted has been an unwelcome consequence of ballast water discharge.

During this course, you will gain an understanding of Ballast Water and the associated Management Systems. You will explore the environmental reasons for effective ballast water management and why ships must comply with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, as well as US legal requirements. You will also gain an understanding of how ballast water exchanges are undertaken and the associated risks, as well as the key points of the vessel’s Ballast Water Management Plan.