Common sense triumphs, finally

The 2004 Ballast Water Management Convention is a good lesson in how not to make international rules

Published Tue, Dec 17, 2013 · 10:00 PM

AMONG all of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) conventions, the Ballast Water Management Convention 2004 (BWMC) is possibly the one that has proved most unsatisfactory - and it's not even in force yet.

Just over a year ago at the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Conference in London, IMO secretary-general Koji Sekimizu told the shipowners that they had the power to encourage their flag states to ratify the 2004 BWMC as soon as possible, as well as to implement its provisions with immediate effect.

He pointed to the "good number of ballast water treatment technologies now approved and available, together with the fixed deadlines for their application contained in the Convention, as convincing reasons why the industry should not wait any longer to implement its provisions".

BT is now on Telegram!

For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes