BallastwasserManagementPlan

Ballast water management plan (BWMP) is the shipboard document that describes the procedures and equipment a vessel uses to control ballast water so as to prevent the transfer of aquatic organisms and pathogens between ecosystems during ballast water uptake and discharge.

Under the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention), ships must develop and implement a BWMP, and the plan must be approved by the ship's flag administration or a competent Recognized Organization and kept on board. The BWMP is prepared to reflect the vessel's design, operations, and ballast water management options, including the use of approved ballast water management systems (BWMS) or ballast water exchange (BWE) where applicable. It specifies ballast water tanks, intake and discharge arrangements, the management methods to be used, sequencing of operations, contingency steps, and measures to minimize cross-contamination.

The plan also covers procedural aspects such as when and how ballast water should be treated or exchanged, recordkeeping in the Ballast Water Record Book, and crew responsibilities, training, and drills. It must be updated to reflect changes such as installation of BWMS, modifications to ship routes, or new regulatory requirements, and amendments require re-approval. The BWMP must be readily available for inspection by port state control authorities and be accompanied by any required documentation.

In practice, BWMPs are part of ships’ compliance with ballast water management obligations, providing a ship-specific framework that aligns operational procedures with international standards and national regulations.