Contents of Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP) on Ships

Contents of Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP) on Ships

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The following summarizes the contents of a Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP)

Description of the Ballast System

  • A general overview of the ballast pumps
  • Location of ballast pumps, type and capacity
  • How to control valves in the ballast system
  • Method used for stripping of the ballast tanks
  • Type of ballast water treatment system (BWTS) installed onboard
  • List of ballast tanks with location and capacity

Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS)

  • Specification of the ballast water treatment system, including maker details, technology used for treatment, capacity of the plant, type approval details, etc.
  • Brief details of the control and monitoring equipment
  • Operation of the treatment unit, including normal operating parameters, limitations of the ballast water treatment system, ballasting operation procedure, de-ballasting operation procedure, stripping operation procedure, shutdown procedure (or reference to the manual for above procedures), bypassing the ballast water treatment system, handling untreated ballast water
  • Safety and emergency procedures for the BWMS, such as concerns regarding harm to the crew or the vessel or the environment.
  • Hazards from BWMS / Procedure for safe tank entry
  • Maintenance of the BWMS

Precautionary Practices

  • How to minimize uptake or transfer of harmful aquatic organisms, pathogens and sediments

Contingency Measures

  • Procedure to be followed in case of an inoperable Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS)

Sediment Management

  • Monitoring of sediment at regular basis
  • Procedures for disposal of sediments to shore
  • Procedures for disposal of sediments to sea
  • Details of the sediment management system on board, such as bottom flush, water jet and removal with ballast ejector, de-mucking, etc.

Ballast Water Sampling

  • Location, procedure for sampling

Methods of Communication

  • Procedures to assist the Master in coordinating the discharge of ballast in waters of a coastal state, local government or other involved parties
  • Action to be taken by the vessel where coastal state has specific procedures for discharge of ballast water
  • Action to be taken by the vessel where coastal state has no specific procedures for discharge of ballast water

Duties of the Ballast Water Management Officer

Crew Training and Familiarization

Recording Requirements

  • Ballast Water Record Book

Exemptions

Plans, Drawings and Information

  • Drawings of ballast tank arrangements
  • Capacity plan
  • Certificates for BWTS
  • Ballast water piping and pumping arrangement
  • Drawings of sampling and access points in pipelines

Reference: Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP)

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