Port control authorities of Russia’s largest ports are getting prepared to check vessels’ compliance with BWMC (photo)
Inspecting teams of port control authorities of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration are getting prepared to check vessels’ compliance with the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC 2004), IAA PortNews correspondent cites Aleksandr Volkov, Harbour Master of Big Port St. Petersburg, as saying at the conference "Implementation of the BWMC in Russia” organized by Media Group PortNews with the assistance of the Russian Ministry of Transport.
Inspectors are being trained to check the compliance with BWMC requirements at the seminars and practical courses arranged at the premises of the Baltic Sea Ports Administration.
Aleksandr Volkov says the inspectors are to be provided with the following documents: BWMP, BWRB and IBWMC.
Among the challenges the Harbour Master emphasized absence of authorized laboratories able to perform the analysis of ballast water samples and absence of infrastructure at seaports to accept ballast water that is not allowed to discharge.
Vladimir Korolev, First Deputy to the Harbour Master of port Novorossiysk on Navigation Safety, told the conference participants about the procedure applied to control ballast waters at the port of Novorossiysk.
“If the density is above the standard level, this means that the ballast was not replaced in the Black Sea or was partially replaced. In this case, deballasting is not allowed and the vessel can take up part of load or go for reballasting in the area which is more than 50 nautical miles from the nearest land as recommended by IMO”, explained Vladimir Korolev adding that all vessels are required to provide Ballast Water Reporting Form.
According to him, 50 mln t of segregated ballast was discharged at the port of Novorossiysk in 2016.
Vladimir Korolev also said less than 2.5% of vessels that called the port of Novorossiysk in 2016 were fitted with ballast water treatment systems featuring guaranteed characteristics.
The Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC 2004) will enter into force on September 8, 2017. The BWMC was adopted in order to prevent or minimize 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.
All conference materials in Russian and in English are available at the office of the event organizers, IAA PortNews. Requests should be submitted to snitko@portnews.ru.
Related link:
Photos from the Conference “Implementation of the BWMC in Russia”>>>>
