A record book, a certificate and a plan for every ship: the treaty on species carried in ballast water

Background

Ships take in water as ballast, and that water can carry living things from one sea to another. The convention adopted in 2004 was written to stop the spread of harmful aquatic organisms in this way. It entered into force in 2017 and that was well over a decade after it was adopted. All ships in international traffic have to manage their ballast water to a standard, following a plan written for each ship. Each ship also keeps a record book for its ballast water, and a certificate for how that water is managed. As an interim step ships were told to exchange ballast water in mid-ocean, and most will finally need a treatment system on board. A party can take stricter measures of its own, so long as they are consistent with international law. Port State control officers can inspect a ship, read the record book and sample the water, and undue delay to a ship is to be avoided.