A new international convention to prevent the potentially devastating effects of the spread of harmful aquatic organisms carried by ships' ballast water has been adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution from ships.

The instrument was adopted at an international conference held from 9 to 13 February 2004 at IMO's London Headquarters. The Convention will require all ships to implement a Ballast Water and Sediments Management Plan.

IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios E. Mitropoulos congratulated Member Governments on the successful outcome of the conference. "With the adoption of this Convention, the Organization has made global provisions to control and manage ships' ballast water and thus prevent, minimize and ultimately eliminate the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens across the seas and oceans of the world. Your work over the past week is a significant step towards controlling the introduction of invasive species via ballast water and thus towards safeguarding the biodiversity of the oceans"

The Convention will enter into force 12 months after ratification by 30 States, representing 35 per cent of world merchant shipping tonnage. The Conference was attended by representatives of 74 States, one Associate Member of IMO; and observers from two intergovernmental organizations and 18 non-governmental international organizations.

Ships are required to be surveyed and certified and may be inspected by port State control officers who can verify that the ship has a valid certificate; inspect the Ballast Water Record Book; and/or sample the ballast water.

Ships are required to have on board and implement a Ballast Water Management Plan approved by the Administration. The Ballast Water Management Plan is specific to each ship and includes a detailed description of the actions to be taken to implement the Ballast Water Management requirements and supplemental Ballast Water Management practices. Ships must have a Ballast Water Record Book to record when ballast water is taken on board; circulated or treated for Ballast Water Management purposes; and discharged into the sea. It should also record when Ballast Water is discharged to a reception facility and accidental or other exceptional discharges of Ballast Water

All ships using ballast water exchange should:

- whenever possible, conduct ballast water exchange at least 200 nautical miles from the nearest land and in water at least 200 metres in depth, taking into account Guidelines developed by IMO;

- in cases where the ship is unable to conduct ballast water exchange as above, this should be as far from the nearest land as possible, and in all cases at least 50 nautical miles from the nearest land and in water at least 200 metres in depth.

The problem of invasive species is largely due to the expanded trade and traffic volume over the last few decades. The effects in many areas of the world have been devastating. Quantitative data show the rate of bio-invasions is continuing to increase at an alarming rate, in many cases exponentially, and new areas are being invaded all the time.

In the late 1980s, Canada and Australia were among countries experiencing particular problems with unwanted species, and they brought their concerns to the attention of IMO's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).

One of the unwanted species, the Asian Kelp Undaria (pinnatifida), native from Northern and Introduced to Asia Southern Australia, New Zealand, West Coast of the United States, Europe and Argentina Grows and spreads rapidly, both vegetatively and through dispersal of spores. Displaces native algae and marine life. Alters habitat, ecosystem and food web. May affect commercial shellfish stocks through space competition and alteration of habitat

Note: Ballast water is sea - river water which vessels punp in - out in order to to manage different conditions of vessel stability and stress due to different cargo conditions.

For additional information: Web site: www.imo.org