Ballast Water Management Decision Support System - Global Maritime Transport and Ballast Water Management: Issues and Solutions - page 234

Fig. 6 Decision (1) on correct BWRF submission ( DWT Dead Weight Tonnage) (This fi gure can
be downloaded from http://extras.springer.com/ )
Decision 1: Was BWRF Filled-In Properly?
BWRF has to be fi lled-in properly to start the DSS procedure. It is absolutely critical
for the PSA, i.e., DSS, to have all requested data available to be able to take a proper
BWM decision. Omissions, mistakes, as well as false-reporting can be anticipated.
Therefore, the data provided need to be checked quantitatively as well as qualitatively.
The vessel cannot obtain a port entry permit if it does not submit all required data
(same practice as for other required reporting). Such cases are also registered in the
“compliance history” database (see Fig. 6 ).
In the fi rst two steps the BWRF is checked to ensure that all requested fi elds are
fi lled-in and that the vessel's basic data correspond with the IMO number. If this is
not satisfactory, the BWRF should not be accepted and the vessel becomes auto-
matically turned away. In case an electronic submission system is used, this can be
checked automatically and the BWRF does not need be submitted on paper.
In the third step, the submitted data is further checked qualitatively (see Fig. 6 ,
grey box on the left).
The checking process includes:
The ballast water source port data (e.g., UN LOCODE port code, name, geo-
graphical position) needs to be confi rmed to ensure true data for the source of ballast
water intended to be discharged. This is important for the assessment of different
vessel voyage related data, however this is absolutely critical for the RA data needs,
and includes biological and environmental data. The UN LOCODE port code is the
suggested triggering reference. An electronic system may be used to check this
automatically which may also be done for elementary port data. In case there is no