Ballast Water Management Decision Support System Model Application - Global Maritime Transport and Ballast Water Management: Issues and Solutions - page 259

Introduction

In the previous chapter ( “ Ballast Water Management Decision Support System ” ), a
generic BWM DSS model was presented which was developed in a generic nature that
it can be used for any port worldwide, if necessary with adaptations to address local
specifi cs. In this chapter, the BWM DSS model is validated by using real ballast water
discharge data of the Port of Koper, Slovenia, for the entire year 2005 (David 2007 ).
The implementation of BWM measures was considered in the view of possible
options in the framework of the BWM Convention. All possible BWM options as
outlined in the BWM Convention have been studied, and data on vessel voyages and
operations were collected or assessed, including vessel movements, main routes,
navigational constraints, and ballast water patterns, i.e., amount of ballast water to be
managed per vessel and type, BWE capacity rates per vessel type, source ports relevant
for RA 1 (David 2007 ). The BWM DSS model also addresses an information system
management and the work of the relevant port State authority (PSA).

Studied Area Local Specifi cs

The Adriatic Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea, situated between the Balkan and
Apennine Peninsulas. The southern opening extends from the Strait of Otranto to
the Cape of Santa Maria di Leuca (Italy) to the north coast of the island of Corfu
(Greece) and where the mouth of the river Butrinit (Albania) is located (IMO 2003 ).
The length of the Adriatic Sea, from the southern end (river Butrinit) to the Porto di
Lido (Venice, Italy) in the north is 475 NM and its width, from the Port of Omišalj
(Croatia) to the Port of Vasto (Italy) is 117 NM; its surface is 138,595 km 2
(IMO 2003 ), as shown in Fig. 1 .
The Mediterranean Sea has numerous ports open for international shipping,
but not so many of them are of intercontinental importance. These “hub-ports” are
connected with a variety of hub-ports globally, while local (short sea) shipping
connects them with secondary Mediterranean ports. The very intense traffi c within
the Mediterranean also includes transiting vessels which do not call for any
Mediterranean port (see Fig. 2 ).
The Port of Koper is located in the very north of the Adriatic Sea and it is the
only major Slovenian merchant port open to international shipping. Studies of cargo
fl ows/shipping patterns have shown that Koper is very well connected with
Mediterranean Sea hub-ports and also directly with different parts of the world 2
(Perkovi

č et al. 2003 ; David et al. 2007a ) (see Fig. 3 ).

1 The data on traffi c patterns and BW discharges were collected with BWRF as part of the national
research projects Harmful Introductions and Ballast Water Management in the Slovenian Sea and
Decision Model and Control of Ballast Water Management in the Slovenian Sea , and taken for
further analysis in this chapter.
2 Sea transport connections, http://www.luka-kp.si/eng/vsebina.asp?IDpm=118#sea , last accessed
January 2014.