International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM)

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention​) enters into force on the 8^th September 2017 and is applicable to all vessels which carry Ballast Water that can be discharged to the sea.

The Convention was adopted in 2004 to introduce global regulations to control the transfer of potentially invasive species. Once the treaty enters into force later this year, ballast water will need to be treated or exchanged at sea before it is released into a coastal location. This is to ensure that any microorganisms or small marine species are unable to become established in another ecosystem.

Döhle Private Marine Clients` Maritime Compliance team have worked extensively with industry experts, Flag States and Classification Societies to ensure that our Ballast Water Compliance packages allow for ease of implementation onboard. Our Ballast Water Management Plans have been developed to assist Passenger and Large Yachts to comply with the requirements of the Convention with minimal disruption to operations. Additionally our experts can assist with the development  and approval of your yachts` BWMPs, as required.

The application date and consequence varies depending on a number of factors, including the anniversary date of the certification held and the area the yacht operates in. Our team are well placed to advise on how best to deal with the issues this raises.

The convention also places a burden on yachts which carry ballast water, fresh or saline, to comply retrospectively and our Technical Services team have already assisted a number of significant yachts in fitting the required equipment, or making arrangements for the system to be taken out of the scope of the convention.

For further information please contact either operations@dohle-yachts.com or technical@dohle-yachts.com.