What is the scope of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments?

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM) is an international agreement that has been developed to protect the marine environment from the introduction of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens through ships’ ballast water. As part of the Maritime Law in New York, this convention is designed to ensure that all vessels entering or leaving US ports comply with the ballast water management requirements set out in the agreement. The scope of the BWM Convention includes requirements that vessels exchange ballast water, inspect their ballast water management systems, and keep a Ballast Water Management Plan onboard. This plan must outline procedures for controlling, managing, and discharging ballast water, as well as for maintenance and operation of onboard ballast water management systems. Vessels must also keep and submit ballast water records to the relevant authorities. In addition, the BWM Convention sets out discharge and exchange standards that must be met when discharging ballast water. These standards are based on a “V sex/six” scheme which assigns an initial discharge volume limit of less than 10 cubic meters, a final discharge volume limit of less than 1 cubic meter, and a discharge concentration limit of 10 CFU/ liters for all discharges. Overall, the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments provides a framework for regulating the management of ballast water and sediments in order to protect the marine environment from the introduction of harmful organisms and pathogens. It sets out uniform standards for ships’ ballast water management and establishes requirements for exchange, inspection, testing, and record-keeping that must be followed in order to comply with the regulations.

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What is the scope of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments?

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