Introduction - Global Maritime Transport and Ballast Water Management: Issues and Solutions - page 6

- a selection of most effective and safe BWM methods according to the RA;

- the consideration of impacts to the shipping industry (including safety);

- the consideration of impacts on international trade;

- timely decision making;

- the reduction of subjectiveness in the decision process; and

- a consistent and transparent decision making process.

A uniform DSS methodology and RA concerning HAOP introductions via ballast
water has not yet been developed. Several foundations have already been laid, e.g.,
Australian DSS (Hayes and Hewitt 1998 , 2000 ), GloBallast 2 Ballast Water Risk
Assessment (GloBallast 2003 ), Det Norske Veritas (DNV) Environmental Ballast
Water Management Assessment - EMBLA (Behrens et al. 2002 ), and BWM RA
and DSS for Slovenia (David 2007 ). More recently BWRA according to the BWM
Convention requirements was developed for HELCOM (David et al. 2013 ) and
OSPAR. Currently BWRA and BWM DSS for European Seas is being developed
under the EU-funded VECTORS 3 project, and for the Adriatic Sea under the IPA
Adriatic strategic project BALMAS. 4 Yet the complexity and intrinsically modern
character of the problem leaves several questions, as revealed by the ineffi ciency of
these applied systems, unanswered. The need for answers bears vital signifi cance
for the international environment, the goal being the future implementation of an
effi cient BWM system in tandem with considerations for a sustainable shipping
industry (see chapters “ Risk Assessment in Ballast Water Management ”, “ Ballast
Water Management Decision Support System ” and “ Ballast Water Management
Decision Support System Model Application ”).

Intention of This Topic

According to our knowledge this is the fi rst comprehensive topic on BWM world-
wide. This topic provides an overview of the possible solutions to the complex issue
of BWM and will further outline consequences and implications to address the bal-
last water “problem” following the provisions of the BWM Convention. There is a
need for good insights to the ship ballast operations, environmental and other
aspects of the issue as well as international requirements. Further in-depth knowl-
edge is needed on options how to approach and manage it in a most effective way,
especially considering specifi cs on a case-by-case basis. The editors and authors of
this topic are scientists of different disciplines including professors of universities
in the maritime sphere and biological arena who have been involved in or are

2 GEF/UNDP/IMO, Global Ballast Water Management Program.
3 Vectors of Change in Oceans and Seas Marine Life, Impact on Economic Sectors (VECTORS),
European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement
No. [266445].
4 Ballast Water Management System for Adriatic Sea Protection (BALMAS), IPA Adriatic Cross-
Border Cooperation Programme strategic project.