The 17th edition has been fully revised to reflect current requirements in the management of ballast water since the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) entered into force.
To assist ship owners with BWM Convention compliance, the book is divided into two useful volumes: Volume 1 - Regulations, Operations and Compliance and Volume 2 - BWM Systems. As well as regulatory guidance, Volume 1 includes valuable practical considerations relating to Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) selection, installation/retrofitting, onboard operation (including dealing with challenging water quality), maintenance, monitoring and reporting. Volume 2 is a thorough compilation of standardised information for BWMS that have been type approved for use on board ships.
Since 8th September 2024, all ships to which the BWM Convention applies, have had to comply with the Convention's ballast water discharge standard (D-2). For most ships, this has involved installing and operating a BWMS on board. This comprehensive, two-volume publication provides up-to-date guidance on BWM regulations, operations (including port State control (PSC) requirements) and equipment options. It is a valuable, single-point source of information for ship owners and operators.
In Volume 1, the publication looks in detail at the various treatment systems and technologies, significant components and the implications for onboard operation, maintenance and contingency measures. With the end of the installation window for fitting a BWMS to existing ships, there is a shift from retrofitting to installing on newbuilds and fulfilling maintenance contracts. However, retrofit experience remains an important consideration as there will also be a growing market for fully or partly replacing older (legacy) BWMS or systems that are not operating properly.
Now the BWM Convention has been fully in force for a year, there is an increase in PSC BWM inspection activity leading up to the end of the experience building phase (EBP) for the Convention in Autumn 2026. These PSC inspections aim to facilitate compliance by identifying deficiencies early and ensuring that ships are meeting the mandatory requirements of the Convention. There is particular emphasis on the D-2 performance standard, the provision of correct and accurate documentation for inspection and support for crew operating the systems on board.
Volume 2 provides an extensive set of data sheets on BWMS that have been type approved through the BWM Convention testing procedures. These summarise the treatment technology, type approval certification and system design limitations (SDL), so that ship owners can evaluate different systems and make an informed decision before purchasing. It is particularly important to know the SDL of a BWMS since these are the conditions and parameters under which the system is approved to operate.
The Appendices contain an updated list of IMO Guidance Documents for the BWM Convention (updated to MEPC 83). They also describe key invasive species and illustrate native and invasive geographic ranges.
Foreword
Abbreviations
Volume One - Guidance
Part One - Introduction and Regulations
Chapter One - Introduction
1.1 Ballast Water
1.2 Sediment
1.3 Aquatic Species
1.4 Ballast Tank Configuration
1.5 Biofouling
Chapter Two - IMO Regulations
2.1 BWM Convention - Section A
2.2 BWM Convention - Section B
2.3 BWM Convention - Section C
2.4 BWM Convention - Section D
2.5 BWM Convention - Section E
2.6 The IMO BWMS Approval Process
2.7 Key Updates to the BWM Convention
Chapter Three - Local and Regional Regulations
3.1 Americas
3.2 United Kingdom
3.3 Polar Waters
Chapter Four - Alternatives to Using a BWMS On Board
4.1 Port Reception Facilities
4.2 Contingency Measures
4.3 Port-based Ballast Water Treatment
4.4 Sediment Control
Part Two - Implementation of Regulations
Chapter Five - Port State Authorities and Port State Control
5.1 Port State Requirements
5.2 Existing Conditions
5.3 Notification
5.4 Inspection, Monitoring and Enforcement
Chapter Six - The Financial Implications of BWM Legislation
6.1 Cost of Compliance with BWM Legislation
6.2 Cost of Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS)
6.3 Issues and Costs for BWMS Manufacturers
6.4 Cost of Ballast Water Exchange (BWE)
Part Three - Treatment Systems and Operation
Chapter Seven - Introduction to Treatment Technologies
7.1 Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) Requirements
7.2 The Evolution of BWMS
Chapter Eight - Physical Separation, Thermal, Ultraviolet and Plasma Technologies
8.1 Physical Separation
8.2 Heat Treatment Technology
8.3 Ultraviolet Radiation/Advanced Oxidation Technology
8.4 Plasma Technology
Chapter Nine - Deoxygenation, Magnetic and Ultrasonic/Cavitation Technologies
9.1 Deoxygenation/Supersaturation Technology
9.2 Magnetic/Electric Field Technology
9.3 Ultrasonic and Hydrodynamic Cavitation Technology
Chapter Ten - Chemical, Biocide and Electrochemical Technologies
10.1 Chemical and Biocide Technology
10.2 Electrochemical Technology
Part Four - Practical Installation and Retrofitting Considerations
Chapter Eleven - Choosing a BWMS
11.1 Making the Decision
Chapter Twelve - The Design Stage (Feasibility Study and 3D Scan)
12.1 Retrofit Planning
12.2 Retrofitting - Feasibility Study
12.3 The 3D Scan
12.4 The Design Engineering Stage
12.5 The Role of Class
12.6 Selection of Retrofit Location
Chapter Thirteen - The Installation Process
13.1 Simplified Overview
13.2 Detailed Overview
13.3 Before Entering the Retrofit Facility
13.4 During the Stay in the Retrofit Facility
13.5 Departing the Retrofit Facility/Dry Dock
13.6 Technical Installation and Retrofit Facility/Dry Dock Challenges
Chapter Fourteen - Commissioning of the BWMS
14.1 Delays in the Commissioning Process
14.2 IMO Commissioning Guidance
Part Five - Operations
Chapter Fifteen - Ship Administration of BWM
15.1 The Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP)
15.2 Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB)
15.3 Surveys
15.4 Certification
15.5 Ballast Water Reporting
15.6 Training
Chapter Sixteen - Ballast Water Sampling/Monitoring
16.1 Monitoring of Operations
16.2 Arrival Ballast Conditions
16.3 Monitoring Levels
16.4 Post-treatment Monitoring
16.5 Sampling
16.6 Sediment
16.7 Test Methods
16.8 Ballast Tank Entry
Chapter Seventeen - Maintenance and Operational Issues
17.1 Maintenance Issues
17.2 Operational Issues
17.3 Emergency/Contingency Measures
Chapter Eighteen - Preparing for Inspections
18.1 Overview of PSC Inspections
18.2 Checklist for Preparing for Inspections
18.3 Reducing Overall Risk
18.4 Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE) and Other Inspection Regimes
Chapter Nineteen - Challenging Water Quality (CWQ)
19.1 Regulatory Guidance
19.2 Operations
19.3 Assessing BWMS Operations
19.4 Troubleshooting and Mitigation
19.5 Alternatives to Bypass
19.6 Bypass Procedure
19.7 Decontamination
19.8 Records and Roles
Chapter Twenty - Ballast Water Exchange (BWE)
20.1 BWE Operational Considerations
20.2 Sequential BWE Method
20.3 Flow-through BWE Method
20.4 BWE Operations Checklists
Appendices
A1 Key Invasive Species
A2 IMO Guidance Documents for the BWM Convention
Number of Pages: 420 pages
Published Date: November 2026
Author: Captain Nadeem Anwar, PhD
