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 looked at contingency measures i.e. what actions should be taken if for some reason a ship should not be able to undertake ballast water management and is therefore at risk of introducing invasive species into the marine environment. Specific actions included the provision of an information document to policymakers which highlighted a series of actions that could be undertaken on board a ship to reduce risks.
Additional attention was paid to System Design Limitations (SDL) of Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) and their monitoring. The IMarEST sought to address the fact that not all BWMS will be designed to operate in challenging conditions and that these limitations need to be recognised and recorded. For example, some systems might not work well in areas of high sediment, high salinity etc. The IMarEST provided input on which information should be collected to ensure the SDLs of systems are accurately recorded.
Initiative in Biofouling Management focussed on supporting the delivery of the 3rd ANZPAC Workshop on Biofouling Management held in Melbourne, Australia in September 2017. This aimed 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
The implementation of voluntary commitments is dependent on volunteer engagement and as such, there are often delays in the production of deliverables. Additionally, the deliverables have to be suitably flexible to allow for changes in the regulatory framework which the IMarEST seeks to support the practical implementation of.Beneficiaries
Member and 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 supported and practically implementable outcomes
Port 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.
Shipowners & 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.
Coastal 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.
Science research and development- The IMarEST supports the research and development community by providing channels to have work presented, peer-reviewed and communicated to a variety of audiences such as policymakers.
Actions
In July 2017 the IMarEST, alongside the International Paint and Printing Ink Council (now the World Coatings Council) produced a template to capture all relevant information prescribed in the IMO guidance with particular attention to coatings.In July 2017 the IMarEST issued a position statement expressing disappointment on the delay in implementation to the BWM Convention which recognised the shipping industrys need to prepare for installations, and for a greater variety of type-approved treatment systems to become commercially available. In essence, the extension granted a two-year reprieve to owners of existing vessels to comply with the Ballast Water Management Convention. In practice, this meant some existing vessels would have until 2024 to fully comply. The IMarEST position on ballast water management has, from the outset, been clear and unwavering and was re-inforced in 2017. In line with our vision of a world where marine resources and activities are sustained, managed and developed for the benefit of humanity, the IMarEST regards the introduction of aquatic invasive species to new habitats through ships ballast water and sediments as one of the greatest global threats facing freshwater, coastal and marine environments and marine biodiversity.
An Information paper was submitted to the IMOs Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) 73rd session (October 2018) entitled Proposed amendments to the draft Guidance on System Design Limitations of ballast water management systems and their monitoring.
An Information paper submitted to MEPC 73 entitled Contingency measure guidance in ballast water management plans.
The IMarEST co-sponsored a paper to MEPC 73 on new work outputs to address issues arising during the experience-building phase of the BWM Convention with Australia, Brazil, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.