IMSML Website Article 01/2025 - Resolution MEPC.369(80) - Amendments to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments 2004

Resolution MEPC.369(80) was made by the Marine Environment Protection Committee at its 80th Session (MEPC 80). It is applicable in Malaysia via Malaysian Shipping Notice (MSN) 14/2023, the very last MSN issued for the year on 20 December 2023. This Resolution MEPC.369(80) is the first subject-matter of Appendix I in MSN 14/2023.

The primary aim of Resolution MEPC.369(80) is to amend Appendix II of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments 2002, ie primarily concerning the ‘Form of Ballast Water Record Book’. The amendment will come into force on 1 February 2025.

ANNEX 2 - Amendments to Appendix II (Form of Ballast Water Record Book) 

The starts with identity details of the ship and certificate information, in particular:

[1] Name of the ship;

[2] IMO number, distinctive numbers or letters;

[3] Gross tonnage;

[4] Flag;

[5] Total ballast water capacity (in cubic metres);

[6] Number of the International Ballast Water Management Certificate, and its validity period.

Note, that a diagram identifying the ballast tank, corresponding to the Ballast Water Management Plan needs to be present, and should be a part of the Ballast Water Record Book, including:

[1] Any multi-use tank;

[2] Space;

[3] Compartment designed to allow carriage of ballast water;

[4] Anything integral to ballast water.

INTRODUCTION

A record is to be kept of each ballast water operation, including discharges to the sea and to reception facilities.

What is the definition of ‘Ballast Water’? It means water, with its suspended matter, taken no board a ship to control:

[1] trim;

[2] list;

[3] draughty;

[4] stability;

[5] stresses of a ship.

What is the benchmark for the management of ballast water? In accordance with:

[1] Ballast Water Management Plan; AND …

[2] Guidelines developed by IMO.

Note, entries into the Ballast Water Record Book should take into account these Guidelines.

How should the volume of ballast water on board be estimated? In cubic metres. Note, the Resolution provides some leeway as it recognises that the accuracy of estimating volume of ballast is left to interpretation.

ENTRIES IN THE BALLAST WATER RECORD BOOK

The Ballast Water Record Book requires entries for any of the following circumstances:

[1] when ballast water is taken on board from the aquatic environment, ie ballasting operation, see Section (A);

[2] when ballast water is discharged into the aquatic environment, ie deballasting operation, see Section (B);

[3] whenever ballast water is exchanged, treated through internal circulation or treated in tank, see Section (C);

[4] Uptake or discharge of ballast water from/to a port-based or reception facility, see Section (D);

[5] accidental discharge / ingress or other exceptional uptake or discharge of ballast water, see Section (E);

[6] failures and in-operabilities of the ballast water management system, see Section (F);

[7] ballast tank cleaning / flushing, removal and disposal of sediments, see Section (G);

[8] additional operational procedures and general remarks, see Section (H).

APPENDIX II ends (see Annex 2, p 6) with a ‘Sample Ballast Water Record Book Page’. A typical page starts with:

[1] Name of the ship;

[2] IMO number, distinctive numbers or letters.

Ballasting operations are then documented in a columns with the following details:

[1] Date;

[2] Code (letter);

[3] Item (number);

[4] Record of operations, and signature of the officer in charge.

Thank you for reading IMSML Website Article 01/2024

Stay tuned for the next IMSML Website Article 02/2025: Resolution MEPC.370(80) - Amendments to the Guidelines for Ballast Water Management and Development of Ballast Water Record Keeping and Reporting

Signing-off for today,

Dr Irwin Ooi Ui Joo, LL.B(Hons.)(Glamorgan); LL.M (Cardiff); Ph.D (Cardiff); CMILT

Professor of Maritime and Transport Law

Head of the Centre for Advocacy and Dispute Resolution

Faculty of Law

Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam

Selangor, Malaysia

Tuesday, 7 January 2025

Note that I am the corresponding author for the IMSML Website Articles. My official email address is: uijoo310@uitm.edu.my