IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM Convention) was in the spotlight at a regional workshop in Singapore, (12-14 November). The event raised awareness of the Convention and related Guidelines among East Asian countries, with a view to strengthening effective implementation and enforcement, and assisting those countries in the region that have not yet done so to ratify the BWM Convention.

The BWM Convention protects the marine environment by preventing the transfer of invasive aquatic species by ships. It entered into force on 8 September 2017, requiring all ships to manage their ballast water and sediments to a certain standard, according to a ship-specific management plan. All ships must also carry a Ballast Water Record Book and an International Ballast Water Management Certificate.

Over 30 government officials* learned about obligations of Parties under the Convention; compliance monitoring and enforcement for port State control; risk mitigation; and received a demonstration of ballast water sampling techniques.

The workshop was implemented through IMO's Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP), with co-financing and hostship provided by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) through the Singapore-IMO Third Country Training Programme (TCTP).

* From Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam and Hong Kong, China.