Ballast Water Management Convention: IMO Review of Registered Tonnage

27.11.15

Following Morocco, Indonesia and Ghana's ratification of the Ballast Water Management Convention at the end of November 2015, the International Maritime Organization ("IMO") announced an unprecedented review of registered tonnage of the global fleet. The purpose of the review was to see whether Morocco, Indonesia and Ghana's combined tonnage was sufficient to take the total tonnage of the world fleet associated with states which have ratified the convention over the threshold of 35%. If so, the Ballast Water Management Convention could have entered into force, as early as 24 November 2016.

However on the 12 January 2016, the IMO secretariat confirmed that the review had found that the combined fleets of the 47 countries which have now ratified the BWM Convention, comprised 34.35% of global tonnage. Just under the 35% required for entry into force.

Finland has also announced its intention to ratify the Ballast Water Management Convention. Therefore it appears that the threshold may soon be reached and the Ballast Water Management Convention could come into force during 2017.

Further information on the Ballast Water Management Convention can be found here.

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