Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Two countries in the region have additional BWM regimes. In Norway a ballast
water exchange area was designated where ballast water of those vessels should be
exchanged which claim that the IMO-required depth and distance limits for BWE
could not be met. In the United Kingdom, the Flotta Terminal of the Scapa Flow
port on the Orkney Islands provides a shore-based ballast water reception facility
(Lloyds Register 2011 ). However, it is unclear if this facility is to be used for all
ballast water discharges or only for ballast water which was transported in cargo
holds and which may therefore be contaminated with oil from a previous cargo voy-
age of this vessel.
Currently HELCOM and OSPAR work towards a jointly agreed BWM related
risk assessment method to harmonize the requirements and approaches for exemp-
tions from BWM requirements according to the BWM Convention in the region
(see also chapter Risk Assessment in Ballast Water Management ”).
At the 11th Trilateral Governmental Wadden Sea Conference (2011) the three
countries bordering the Wadden Sea (Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands)
decided to develop a common strategy for dealing with alien species in the Wadden
Sea. Recommendations how to deal with the species introduction vectors shipping
and aquaculture were given. It was also recommended that for all BWM related
work, the BWM Convention and it supporting guidelines should be followed as a
regional approach (Bouma et al. 2011 ).
Mediterranean Sea
The Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean
Sea (REMPEC) on Malta acts as regional coordinating organization. The
Mediterranean strategy on BWM was adopted at the Second GloBallast Regional
Task Force Meeting Regional Harmonization Workshop on Management
Approaches, Istanbul, Turkey, 1-3 June 2010. Furthermore, harmonized voluntary
arrangements for BWM in the Mediterranean region were adopted at the same
meeting (REMPEC 2010 ).
The BWM arrangements are of voluntary interim nature and are applicable from
1 January 2012 until the time that the BWM Convention enters into force. This
regime will no longer apply when a ship is in position to meet the ballast water
performance standard contained in regulation D-2 of the Convention, or when the
Convention comes into force and a ship has to apply the D-2 standard in accordance
with the application dates set out in regulation B-3 of the Convention (IMO 2011 ).
Our interpretation of this is that should vessels have BWMS installed, they should
use them. However, this is on a voluntary basis.
In short, the requirements include that ships entering the waters of Mediterranean
Sea area from the Atlantic Ocean (Straits of Gibraltar), or from the Indian Ocean
through the Red Sea (Suez Canal) or leaving the waters of the Mediterranean Sea
area to the Atlantic Ocean (Strait of Gibraltar) or to the Indian Ocean through the
Red Sea (Suez Canal), should (IMO 2011 ):
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