Progress report for
Protecting the environment from harmful aquatic invasive species and pathogens introduced via ships ballast water or on ships hulls
Achievement at a glance
The IMarEST continues to support the uniform implementation of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) and the uptake of the International Maritime Organizations (IMO) Guidelines (Biofouling Guidelines) for the control and management of ships' biofouling to minimise the transfer of invasive aquatic species and to prevent harm caused to the environment and human health by these species. Our activities are carried out by harnessing the expertise of the IMarEST members who commit their time on a voluntary basis.Efforts in ballast water management have examined how marine invasions can be limited by a combination of methods - particularly ballast water exchange plus ballast water treatment. These combination methods appear to offer increased protection to the marine environment especially for freshwater receiving environments and are also used as a contingency measure. The IMarEST is working to ensure the practicality and safety of this combined practice is considered alongside ensuring clarity in the regulatory framework.
Attention is paid to technology development for indicative analysis - a relatively fast indirect or direct measurement of a sample of a ballast tank that provides an estimation of organism concentration. The IMarEST seeks to provide assurance that the right scientific equipment is available and can be used to ensure compliance with the Convention. There is a lack of widespread familiarity about indicative analysis and the available technology, so the IMarEST is raising awareness on this topic.
The IMarEST Biofouling Management Special Interest Group have focused efforts on supporting the 4th ANZPAC Biofouling conference and 1st IMO-UNDP-GED GloFouling R&D Conference which were held to identify, promote and develop effective and practical biofouling management strategies that will ensure shipping and other maritime industries can continue to underpin trade, security and economic development with minimal environmental impact.
Challenges faced in implementation
Not applicableBeneficiaries
Member & Flag States of the IMO - one of our most important roles as a learned society is our contribution to ensuring that existing and emerging marine activities are safe and technically, environmentally and economically sound. We provide the invaluable public service of giving impartial professional advice of the highest standard to governing bodies trying to develop reasonable regulation of marine and maritime activities. This advice is hard to find because very few organisations can provide it, given their constituencies or their mission. Our contributions to the (inter)governmental decision-making process supports the development of unambiguous, technically informed, scientifically underpinned and produces practically implementable outcomes.\\r\\n\\r\\nPort State Control the work the IMarEST has undertaken to clarify the use of techniques to assess compliance with the BWM Convention will, in turn, be used to provide guidance to Port State Control and reduce the burden on Port State Control officers who are required to undertake an ever-increasing number of inspections. \\r\\n\\r\\nShipowners & ship crew shipowners and ship crew benefit from the work undertaken through the reduction of uncertainty in their requirements under the Convention and the provision of technical but well communicated, scientific information. \\r\\n\\r\\nCoastal Communities All the efforts undertaken by the IMarEST to support the implementation of Conventions and Guidelines to reduce marine invasive species have the ultimate aim of protecting coastal communities from the adverse economic and social impacts of invasive species. \\r\\n