Ballast Water Management Decision Support System - Global Maritime Transport and Ballast Water Management: Issues and Solutions - page 226

Fig. 2 The BWM process under the selective approach supported by the DSS (Enhanced after
David 2007 ). BWM Ballast Water Management, CME Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement,
RA Risk Assessment

Ballast Water Management Decision Support System Model

Model High Level Elements and Sequences

The DSS process starts with communication and data input, continues with RA,
BWM decisions, vessel's action(s), and ends with a monitoring and review pro-
cesses. Throughout the entire decision process information needs to be exchanged
with outer (e.g., vessel, other ports) and inner sources (e.g., vessel's particulars,
compliance history), and therefore needs to be supported by adequate communica-
tion processes and data management (see Fig. 3 ).
One of the critical issues is the position/situation/location of the vessels in rela-
tion to its ability to comply with requested BWM measures. In this regard we cre-
ated four situations a vessel may be facing:

Situation (1), the vessel has left the last port of call and is able to conduct BWM on
its intended route, and:

- has time and is in conditions to conduct the requested BWM measure(s);

- conducts BWM measures according to the requirements and enters the port

with the permission to discharge ballast water.