1

The purpose of the Convention

The purpose of the ballast water convention is to minimize the spread of invasive species in the sea. The regulation therefore deals with water and sediments in ballast water tanks, which are moved from one sea area to another sea area.

2

The regulations in short

Note that after 8 September 2024 there is only one (accepted) method for minimizing the spread for invasive species:

  • Treatment of ballast water (D-2 standard)

Ships, regardless of size, using ballast water and not otherwise exempted from the Convention, shall on or after 8 September 2024 comply with the following:

  • Have in place an approved ballast water management plan, describing how the water will be treated and the sediments dealt with.
  • Have a ballast water record book, in which all ballast water operations shall be recorded. Please note that a new format of the record book will enter into force 1 February 2025. (Resolution MEPC. 369(80))
  • Have a certificate that the ship is in compliance with the convention, if the ships is 400 GT or above.

Regardless of the size of the ship, approval and issuance of plans and certificates has been delegated to the Recognized Organizations approved by the DMA.

3

Exemptions

Fishing vessels are covered by the ballast water convention, with the exemption as below:

The ballast water convention does not apply to:

  • Ships not designed or constructed to carry ballast water.
  • Ships with permanent ballast water in sealed tanks, that is not subject to discharge
  • Ships only operating within the Danish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

For further information, please see 3 ‘Treatment of ballast water’.

4

Ballast water exchange

The requirements on ballast water exchange for ships under the convention are obsolete from 8 September 2024, as all ships are required to treat their ballast water.

This implies that ballast water exchange in the North Sea is no longer permitted.

5

Treatment of ballast water

Neither DEPA nor DMA have jurisdiction in connection to other Coastal States’ national sea areas or EEZ’s. Therefore, dispensations or equivalents in connection with the ballast water convention in all other areas than Danish waters and EEZ, cannot be given (by Danish authorities), and the local authorities and the ships’ ROs are to be contacted.

Treatment of ballast water shall be done through a type approved ballast water treatment system, to ensure that the discharged ballast water does not contain too many organisms (D-2 standard). Requirements for treatment of ballast water shall adhere to the following:

  • All ships shall comply with the D2 standard on or after 8 September 2024
  • For ships entering areas/ports with challenging water quality that may lead to the ballast water treatment system not being capable of cleaning the water in accordance with D-2, IMO has developed the guideline MEPC.387(81) ‘Interim guidance on the application of the BWM convention to ships operating in challenging water quality conditions’. It is recommended that the recognized organizations and ship owners use this guideline pro-actively.
6

Fishing vessels – RSW-vessels and anti-rolling tank

Some fishing vessels are different from other vessels, due to installation of RSW (Refrigerated Sea Water)/CSW (Chilled Sea Water) systems in the cargo-tanks for cooling of the catch with circulation of seawater. DEPA and DMA do not regard this seawater as ballast water.

Water in anti-rolling tanks is not regarded as ballast water either, as these tanks is placed high up on the vessel and are used for minimizing the rolling of the vessel.