18/1/2017 International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM)
http://www.imo.org/en/About/Conventions/ListOfConventions/Pages/InternationalConventionfortheControlandManagementofShips'BallastWaterandSediments(BWM).aspx 1/6 English Français Español
FAQs
History of IMO
Membership
Structure
Strategic and High level Action Plans and procedures
Conventions
List of Conventions
Status of Conventions
Action Dates
Documents and Resources
IMO Events
Affiliated Bodies and Programmes
World Maritime
University (WMU) and International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI)
Careers at IMO
International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast
Water and Sediments (BWM)
Adoption: 13 February 2004; Entry into force: 8 September 2017
Invasive aquatic species present a major threat to the marine ecosystems, and shipping has been identified as a major pathway for introducing species to new environments. The problem increased as trade and traffic volume expanded over the last few decades, and in particular with the introduction of steel hulls, allowing vessels to use water instead of solid materials as ballast. The effects of the introduction of new species have in many areas of the world been devastating. Quantitative data show the rate of bio‐invasions is continuing to increase at an alarming rate. As the volumes of seaborne trade continue overall to increase, the problem may not yet have reached its peak.
However, the Ballast Water Management Convention, adopted in 2004, aims to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms from one region to another, by establishing standards and procedures for the management and control of ships' ballast water and sediments
Under the Convention, all ships in international traffic are required to manage their ballast water and sediments to a certain standard, according to a ship‐specific ballast water management plan. All ships will also have to carry a ballast water record book and an international ballast water management certificate. The ballast water management standards will be phased in over a period of time. As an intermediate solution, ships should exchange ballast water mid‐ocean. However, eventually most ships will need to install an on‐board ballast water treatment system.
A number of guidelines have been developed to facilitate the implementation of the Convention.
The Convention will require all ships to implement a Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan. All ships will have to carry a Ballast Water Record Book and will be required to carry out ballast water management procedures to a given standard. Existing ships will be required to do the same, but after a phase‐in period.
Parties to the Convention are given the option to take additional measures which are subject to criteria set out in the Convention and to IMO guidelines
Search this site
As a t 1 8 /0 1 /2 0 1 7
Country Treaty Method of deposit Date of deposit Date of Entry into force
Effective date of denunciation
INSTRUMENTS RECEIVED
-
2015
JANUARY
Guatemala MARPOL PROT 1997 (Annex VI) Accession 30-Jan-15 30-Apr-15
Sudan MARPOL 73/78 (Annex I/II) Accession 21-Jan-15 21-Apr-15
Sudan MARPOL 73/78 (Annex III) Acceptance 21-Jan-15 21-Apr-15
Sudan MARPOL 73/78 (Annex IV) Acceptance 21-Jan-15 21-Apr-15
Sudan MARPOL 73/78 (Annex V) Acceptance 21-Jan-15 21-Apr-15
Sudan OPRC 1990 Accession 21-Jan-15 21-Apr-15
Albania OPRC/HNS 2000 Accession 19-Jan-15 19-Apr-15
Malta NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 18-Jan-15 18-Apr-15
Georgia IMSO C 1976 Accession 12-Jan-15 12-Jan-15
Georgia BWM Convention 2004 Accession 12-Jan-15 08-Sep-17
Saudi Arabia CSC 1993 amendments Acceptance 09-Jan-15 Not yet in force
Antigua and Barbuda NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 09-Jan-15 14-Apr-15
Liberia NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 08-Jan-15 14-Apr-15
FEBRUARY
Tuvalu NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 17-Feb-15 17-Mei-15
China (Hong Kong) LLMC Protocol 1996 Accession 02-Feb-15 03-Mei-15
MARCH
Isle of Man (UK) NAIROBI WRC 2007 Extension 04-Mar-15 14-Apr-15
Lithuania PAL Protocol 2002 Accession 10-Mar-15 10-Jun-15
Tonga MARPOL PROT 1997 (Annex VI) Accession 20-Mar-15 20-Jun-15
Tonga NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 20-Mar-15 20-Jun-15
APRIL
Slovakia PAL Protocol 2002 Accession 13-Apr-15 13-Jul-15
Kenya NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 14-Apr-15 14-Jul-15
UK (Gibraltar) NAIROBI WRC 2007 Extension 16-Apr-15 16-Jul-15
As a t 1 8 /0 1 /2 0 1 7
Albania NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 27-Apr-15 27-Jul-15
Niue NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 27-Apr-15 27-Jul-15
Uruguay SUA 2005 Accession 29-Apr-15 28-Jul-15
Uruguay SUA PROT 2005 Accession 29-Apr-15 28-Jul-15
MAY
Montenegro MARPOL PROT 1997 (Annex VI) Accession 21-Mei-15 21-Agust-15
Jordan CLC Protocol 1992 Accession 27-Mei-15 27-Mei-16
Congo LL PROT 1988 Accession 28-Mei-15 28-Agust-15
Congo MARPOL PROT 1997 (Annex VI) Accession 28-Mei-15 28-Agust-15
Congo CSC 1993 amendments Acceptance 28-Mei-15 Not yet in force
Congo OPRC-HNS 2000 Accession 28-Mei-15 28-Agust-15
Congo Cape Town Agreement 2012 Accession 28-Mei-15 Not yet in force
Congo SOLAS AGR 1996 Accession 28-Mei-15 27-Jun-15
Congo STP 1971 Accession 28-Mei-15 28-Agust-15
Congo SPACE STP 1973 Accession 28-Mei-15 28-Agust-15
Congo SUA Accession 28-Mei-15 26-Agust-15
Congo SUA PROT Accession 28-Mei-15 26-Agust-15
Congo SUA 2005 Accession 28-Mei-15 26-Agust-15
Congo SUA PROT 2005 Accession 28-Mei-15 26-Agust-15
JUNE
Sweden PAL Protocol 2002 Ratification 02-Jun-15 02-Sep-15
Ethiopia LL Protocol 1988 Accession 03-Jun-15 03-Sep-15
Bahamas NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 05-Jun-15 05-Sep-15
Spain PAL 1974 Denunciation 11-Jun-15 11-Sep-15
Spain PAL Protocol 1976 Denunciation 11-Jun-15 11-Sep-15
Spain PAL Protocol 1990 Revocation of acc 11-Jun-15 11-Jun-15
Spain PAL Protocol 2002 Ratification 11-Jun-15 11-Sep-15
Nigeria SOLAS Protocol 1988 Accession 18-Jun-15 18-Sep-15
Nigeria LL Protocol 1988 Accession 18-Jun-15 18-Sep-15
Nigeria MARPOL PROT 1997 (Annex VI) Accession 18-Jun-15 18-Sep-15
As a t 1 8 /0 1 /2 0 1 7
Nigeria SUA 2005 Accession 18-Jun-15 16-Sep-15
Finland OPRC/HNS 2000 Acceptance 26-Jun-15 26-Sep-15
Bahrain LL Protocol 1988 Accession 29-Jun-15 29-Sep-15
JULY
Slovenia LLMC PROT 1996 Accession 06-Jul-15 04-Okt-15
Kenya SOLAS Protocol 1978 Accession 07-Jul-15 07-Okt-15
Kenya SOLAS Protocol 1988 Accession 07-Jul-15 07-Okt-15
Kenya LL Protocol 1988 Accession 07-Jul-15 07-Okt-15
Kenya LLMC Protocol 1996 Accession 07-Jul-15 05-Okt-15
Kenya BUNKERS Convention 2001 Accession 07-Jul-15 07-Okt-15
Kenya AFS Convention 2001 Accession 07-Jul-15 07-Okt-15
Portugal BUNKERS Convention 2001 Accession 21-Jul-15 21-Okt-15
Cyprus NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 22-Jul-15 22-Okt-15
Poland STCW-F 1995 Accession 28-Jul-15 28-Okt-15
AUGUST
Denmark Cape Town Agreement 2012 Accession 06-Agust-15 Not yet in force
Saudi Arabia SOLAS Protocol 1988 Accession 07-Agust-15 07-Nop-15
Jordan MARPOL PROT 1997 (Annex VI) Accession 11-Agust-15 11-Nop-15
Singapore SUA Protocol 1988 Accession 12-Agust-15 10-Nop-15
Bahrain SOLAS Protocol 1988 Accession 17-Agust-15 17-Nop-15
Panama NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 18-Agust-15 18-Nop-15
Czechia MARPOL PROT 1997 (Annex VI) Accession 27-Agust-15 27-Nop-15
United States SUA 2005 Ratification 28-Agust-15 26-Nop-15
United States SUA PROT 2005 Ratification 28-Agust-15 26-Nop-15
The Faroe (territory of DenmarkBWM Convention 2004 Extension 28-Agust-15 08-Sep-17
SEPTEMBER
Iran (Islamic Republic of) LLMC 1976 Accession 01-Sep-15 01-Des-15
Portugal PAL PROT 2002 Accession 01-Sep-15 01-Des-15
Portugal SUA 2005 Ratification 01-Sep-15 30-Nop-15
As a t 1 8 /0 1 /2 0 1 7
Mongolia SALVAGE 1989 Accession 02-Sep-15 02-Sep-16
South Africa NAIROBI WRC 2007 Accession 04-Sep-15 04-Des-15
Montenegro PAL PROT 2002 Accession 09-Sep-15 09-Des-15
South Africa MARPOL 73/78 (Annex IV) Accession 17-Sep-15 17-Des-15
South Africa MARPOL PROT 1997 (Annex VI) Accession 17-Sep-15 17-Des-15
OCTOBER
Djibouti TONNAGE 1969 Accession 12-Okt-15 12-Jan-16
Djibouti MARPOL 73/78 (Annex III) Acceptance 12-Okt-15 12-Jan-16
Djibouti MARPOL 73/78 (Annex IV) Acceptance 12-Okt-15 12-Jan-16
Djibouti MARPOL 73/78 (Annex V) Acceptance 12-Okt-15 12-Jan-16
Djibouti STCW 1978 Accession 12-Okt-15 12-Jan-16
Djibouti SAR 1979 Accession 12-Okt-15 11-Nop-15
Djibouti SALVAGE 1989 Accession 12-Okt-15 12-Okt-16
Djibouti OPRC/HNS 2000 Accession 12-Okt-15 12-Jan-16
Djibouti BUNKERS Convention 2001 Accession 12-Okt-15 12-Jan-16
NOVEMBER
Ecuador IMSO C 1976 Accession 11-Nop-15 11-Nop-15
Morocco BWM Convention 2004 Accession 23-Nop-15 08-Sep-17
Indonesia BWM Convention 2004 Accession 24-Nop-15 08-Sep-17
Antigua and Barbuda SUA 2005 Accession 24-Nop-15 22-Feb-16
Antigua and Barbuda SUA PROT 2005 Accession 24-Nop-15 22-Feb-16
Antigua and Barbuda LC PROT 1996 Accession 24-Nop-15 24-Des-15
Antigua and Barbuda FAL 1965 Accession 24-Nop-15 23-Jan-16
Ghana BWM Convention 2004 Accession 26-Nop-15 08-Sep-17
Viet Nam AFS Convention 2001 Accession 27-Nop-15 27-Feb-16
Honduras MARPOL 73/78 (Annex III) Acceptance 30-Nop-15 29-Feb-16
Honduras MARPOL 73/78 (Annex IV) Acceptance 30-Nop-15 29-Feb-16
DECEMBER
