Ballast Water Management Plan is the plan for the handling or treating of ballast water onboard a vessel to minimize the transfer of harmful organisms or pathogens in the vessel’s ballast water and sediment.
Each ship shall have on board and implement a Ballast Water Management plan. Such a plan shall be approved by the Administration taking into account Guidelines developed by the Organization.
The Ballast Water Management plan shall be specific to each ship and shall at least:
- Detail safety procedures for the ship and the crew associated with Ballast Water Management as required by this Convention;
- Provide a detailed description of the actions to be taken to implement the Ballast Water Management requirements and supplemental Ballast Water Management practices as set forth in this Convention;
- Detail the procedures for the disposal of Sediments:
- At sea; and
- To shore;
- Include the procedures for coordinating shipboard Ballast Water Management that involves discharge to the sea with the authorities of the State into whose waters such discharge will take place;
- Designate the officer on board in charge of ensuring that the plan is properly implemented
- Contain the reporting requirements for ships provided for under this Convention; and
- Be written in the working language of the ship. If the language used is not English, French or Spanish, a translation into one of these languages shall be included.
