Matej David

Dr. Matej David Consult · Maritime Transport and Environment

Ballast Water Management (BWM) is a complex process in which decision-making must be based on proven scientific evidence. For example, data is needed to make decisions on the granting of exemptions from BWM, to support an early warning system to inform seafarers about where ballasting should not be conducted due to the presence of harmful organisms...

In accordance with the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention, vessels may be subject to inspections for the purpose of revealing violations of convention provisions. To enable this, sampling of ballast water for subsequent analyses is needed. The reliability of compliance tests is of critical importance, since the consequences of failing compli...

Not to repeatedly write another general ballast water management (BWM) introduction chapter, we here instead update the reader on selected ballast water issues with a focus on new developments since the first edition of this book was published in 2015. Possibly the most important key achievement in BWM in these times was the entry into force of the...

One of the very critical aspects for an effective implementation of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention is the compliance monitoring and enforcement (CME) process. The BWM Convention provides basic requirements regarding inspections and consequences, while this process is further supported by IMO Port State Control (PSC) Guidelines and IM...

Sediment releases from ballast tanks are of concern to the environment as they may contain chemical contaminants and living organisms accumulated since the last docking visit of the vessel. This is one of the reasons why the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (IMO 2004) (BWM Conventio...

This chapter highlights the challenges involved in the type approval testing of Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS). IMO required such tests with its Guidelines G8. This guideline was prepared with best efforts during substantial debates, but in practice, some requirements turned out not to be relevant, and other important aspects were found to...

Ballast water management systems (BWMS) are rigorously tested in land-based and shipboard settings, according to requirements outlined in the former G8 Guidelines of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Noting doubts that the water conditions to challenge BWMS as stated in G8 may not be challenging enough to represent all port water condi...

The Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention entered into force in September 2018 to provide for a globally uniform approach in preventing harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens to further spread around the world by ballast water and sediment releases for the protection of natural environments, human health, property and resources, while at the s...

During the type approval process of ballast water management systems (BWMS) performance tests need to be conducted according to the BWMS Code (previously Guidelines G8) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The shipboard tests previously included a control experiment with untreated ballast water to evaluate the BWMS performance by compa...

Shipping is responsible for transporting 90% of the world's trade. This book provides a comprehensive review of the impact shipping has on the environment. Topics covered include pollutant discharges such as atmospheric emissions, oil, chemical waste, sewage and biocides; as well as non-pollutant impacts including invasive species, wildlife collisi...

Vessels are considered one of the primary pathways for the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens. The D-2 Regulation of the Ballast Water Management Convention specifies the maximum number of organisms per unit volume in order to prevent their spread and transfer, and the introduction of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens around...

Ballast Water Managements Systems (BWMS) installed on vessels may use Active Substances (AS) to inactivate organisms. This paper provides new insights in the global issue of noxious Disinfection By-Products (DBP) produced with primarily oxidant-based BWMS, and the risk assessment for workers, including port State control officers, while performing...

The Ballast Water Management Convention adopted at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) allows exemptions from ballast water management requirements. These exemptions may be granted when a risk assessment results in an acceptable low risk scenario. IMO has adopted a guideline describing different risk assessment approaches (G7 Guidelines,...

Ballast water treatment is required for vessels to prevent the introduction of potentially invasive neobiota. Some treatment methods use chemical disinfectants which produce a variety of halogenated compounds as disinfection by-products (DBPs). One of the most abundant DBPs from oxidative ballast water treatment is bromoform (CHBr3), for which we f...

Ballast water managements systems (BWMS) installed on vessels may use active substances to inactivate organisms. This paper provides new insights in the global issue of noxious disinfection by-products (DBP) discharge with ballast water, and the related risk assessment for human health. The GESAMP ballast water working group plays a role in the cer...

The United Nations recognised the transfer of invasive species across natural barriers as one of the greatest pressures to the world's oceans and seas. The BWM Convention sets the global standards on ballast water management (BWM) requirements, while recognising that regional and local specifics have to be considered for its effective implementatio...

Ballast water treatment is required for vessels to prevent the introduction of potentially invasive neobiota. Some treatment methods use chemical disinfectants which produce a variety of halogenated compounds as disinfection by-products (DBPs). One of the most abundant DBP from oxidative ballast water treatment is bromoform (CHBr3) where we find an...

Climate change and increased anthropogenic activities are expected to elevate the potential of introducing nonindigenous species (NIS) into the Arctic. Yet, the knowledge base needed to identify gaps and priorities for NIS research and management is limited. Here, we reviewed primary introduction events to each ecoregion of the marine Arctic realm...

13.1 INTRODUCTION Oceans and seas are under pressure by the introduction of species as never before. Highlighted are mostly known nonindigenous species, but it should be noted that these are only a subset of species that are of concern. There are species for which it is unclear if they are native or not and these were termed cryptogenic species (Ca...

The Adriatic Sea, a semi-enclosed and vulnerable environment, deserves special attention regarding the risk of introducing Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens via ships' ballast water as new species findings occur at an alarming rate. This species introduction vector was addressed with the 2004 International Convention for the Control and Manag...

Following the Editorial addressing the BALMAS project, we open the ballast water management special issue for the Adriatic Sea by providing background information on non-indigenous species and the mechanisms (vectors) of transport. Problems allocating introduction mechanisms for various species with certainty are described; in general, key introduc...

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations’ shipping agency, adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) in 2004 in an attempt to reduce one of the greatest negative influences humans have caused to the world’s oceans, i.e., species transfers beyon...

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations’ shipping agency, adopted the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) in 2004 (IMO 2004) in an attempt to reduce one of the greatest negative influences humans have caused to the world’´s oceans, i.e., species tra...

Ballast water managements systems (BWMS) installed on vessels may use active substances to inactivate or kill organisms in the ballast water. This paper provides new insights in this global issue - discharge of hazardous disinfection by-products with ballast water and related risk assessment for the environment. Considering the possible extent of t...

The biology of vessels´ ballast water needs to be analysed for several reasons, one of these being performance tests of ballast water management systems. This analysis includes a viability assessment of phytoplankton. To overcome logistical problems to get algae sample processing gear on board of a vessel to document algae viability, samples may be...

Ballast water discharges may cause negative impacts to aquatic ecosystems, human health and economic activities by the introduction of potentially harmful species. Fifty untreated ballast water tanks, ten in each port, were sampled in four Adriatic Italian ports and one Slovenian port. Salinity, temperature and fluorescence were measured on board....

The ballast water management convention incorporates principles of risk assessment. A new ballast water management risk assessment model was developed to support the implementation of most efficient management measures, which we also present as a flowchart decision support system model. The risk assessment model was tested using data from port base...

In order to estimate the possible effects of existing ballast tank sediment management routine in ports the respective legal framework from different states was examined and the operational modes of selected Adriatic shipyards was analysed. The goal was to determine if the States' administration and ports' management are aware of risks which sedime...

This paper describes the methodological approach used for the development of an Early Warning System (EWS) for Non Indigenous Species (NIS) and ballast water management and summarizes the results obtained. The specific goals of the EWS are firstly to warn vessels to prevent loading of ballast water when critical biological conditions occur in ports...

Information about the profile of ballast water discharges in a port is one of the basic elements of the decision making process in ballast water risk assessment and management, and supports the evaluation of dimensions and processes of aquatic species invasions with vessels ballast water. In the lack of ballast water reporting, ballast water discha...

Until now, the purpose of ballast water sampling studies was predominantly limited to general scientific interest to determine the variety of species arriving in ballast water in a recipient port. Knowing the variety of species arriving in ballast water also contributes to the assessment of relative species introduction vector importance. Further,...

The latest research continues to show that the ballast water issue is very complex, which makes it very challenging to manage. In 2004, the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) was adopted to globally harmonize action against the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and path...

A comprehensive review of ballast water sampling and analyses methods for CME indicative analyses and detailed test was conducted. Missing BWS sampling and analyses tools were identified and bought to provide each participating county with an indicative and detailed test for in-tank and at-discharge sampling. BWS and analyses methods were be tested...

This report consists of two parts. First is a review of financing mechanisms being in place and operational worldwide and second part a case study for Slovenia. Case study analyses application feasibility for identified self-funding options in Slovenia. The essence of self-funding mechanism is independency from governmental or regional resources. T...

The scope of the Guidance for PSC for compliance control measures, including BWS, introduced according to the BWM Convention for CME in the Adriatic is to provide additional guidance to Adriatic PSCO for implementation of the tools and systems prepared to support common approaches for an effective implementation of the BWM Convention in the Adriati...

Review of RA approaches and methods for BWM was conducted, and new RA models and approaches were developed based on analyses of shipping patterns, quantity and origin of ballast water discharges and sediments disposals, legislation etc. in the Adriatic Sea area. RA DSS models were developed for targeting vessels for BWM and CME (BWRA), for exemptio...

A review of existing Port State Control (PSC) measures, tools, procedures and systems, to enable monitoring of vessels compliance with BWM Convention and Paris MoU was conducted. A Decision Support System (DSS) that includes BWM control (CME) measures for compliance with BWM Convention and Paris MoU was developed to support implementation of the BW...

In general a Decision Support System (DSS) is a supporting tool to enhance a decision-making process. One of the critical factors in the decision making process is subjectivism which is induced by the decision-making operator, which can be avoided with a DSS. DSSs may consist of different elements and structures depending on their application field...

Different phytoplankton analysis methods (pulse-amplitude modulated fluorometry (PAM) and microscopy) were compared in preparation for compliance monitoring and enforcement with ballast water discharge standards. The key objective was to practically evaluate the performance of different new methods and tools to identify indicatively living phytopla...

The risk assessment (RA) developed according to the BWM Convention is the most recently agreed global RA for bioinvasions. It was developed to enable a selective ballast water management (BWM) approach according to the BWM Convention and the G7 Guidelines. It describes three different BWM RA methods, “environmental matching”, “species’ biogeographi...

The annual number of new species records world-wide has paralleled shipping and is increasing. For example, in ICES member countries a new introduction forming a new population beyond its natural range occurs approximately every 9 weeks. The introduction of non-indigenous species by ships’ ballast water is known since more than 100 years, but it wa...

There is a wealth of policy and management options addressing species introductions including conventions, treaties, multilateral agreements and codes of practices. Together these instruments support an internationally consistent management of specific transport vectors, quarantine or other biosecurity measures. This chapter lists selected global l...

A Decision Support System (DSS) is a supporting tool enhancing a decision-making process. Decision-makers are frequently faced with the problem to take decisions on very complex issues, which requires large data inputs, and a timely decision process. DSSs provide decision makers with a tool to reduce uncertainties, and to simplify and speed-up the...

Ballast water management was demonstrated to be a complex issue, hence there are no simple solutions. The BWM Convention was adopted to support globally a uniform approach to prevent harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens to be further spread around the world by ballast water and sediment releases, considering the aspects of safe and efficient ope...

In this chapter we focus on ballast water management systems (BWMS) which are currently in use as well as treatment approaches manufacturers have chosen for the development of future BWMS. The main purpose of this review is to identify the current availability of BWMS technologies worldwide. Until January 2014 we brought together information of 104...

The most effective way to manage species transfers is to prevent their introduction via vector regulation. Soon, international ships will be required to meet numeric ballast discharge standards using ballast water treatment (BWT) systems, and ballast water exchange (BWE), currently required by several countries, will be phased out. However, there a...

Executive Summary In Ballast Water Opportunity one of the duties in WP5 was to review the test requirements of ballast water management systems (BWMS) as stated in the “International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004” (BWM Convention) and its supporting guidelines, i.e., “Guidelines for approval...

Today global shipping transports over 90 % of the world’s overseas trade and trends anticipate that it will continue to play an increasing role world-wide. Shipping operations inevitably include also pressures on natural environments. The most recent waterborne threat is the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens with ballast water and...

Commercial vessels are built for the transport of various cargoes or passengers. When a vessel is not fully laden, additional weight is required to provide for the vessel’s seaworthiness, e.g. to compensate for the increased buoyancy which can result in the lack of propeller immersion, inadequate transversal and longitudinal inclination, and other...

In the past, the purpose of ballast water sampling studies was limited to general scientific interest, awareness raising or the determination of organism numbers per water volume. In this chapter we focus on compliance control sampling with BWM requirements as set out in the BWM Convention. Key aspects described are sampling methods and approaches...

The importance of ballast water as a vector for moving non-indigenous species was initially addressed in a 1973 International Maritime Organization (IMO) resolution. Subsequently IMO worked towards the finalization of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) which was adopted...

Uptake and discharge of ballast water by ocean-going ships contribute to the worldwide spread of aquatic invasive species, with negative impacts on the environment, economies, and public health. The International Ballast Water Management Convention aims at a global answer. The agreed standards for ballast water discharge will require ballast water...

The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship's Ballast Water and Sediments sets requirements to prevent organism transfers. Vessels on certain routes can be exempted from such requirements based on risk assessment (RA). As the convention nears its entry into force, the interest in exemptions increases. Such RA should be condu...

The United Nations recognized the transfer of harmful organisms and pathogens across natural barriers as one of the four greatest pressures to the world's oceans and seas, causing global environmental changes, while also posing a threat to human health, property, and resources. Ballast water transferred by vessels was recognized as a prominent vect...

A wealth of organism detection technologies are available. However, this report is meant to give an overview of methods and does not attempt to deliver a fully comprehensive summary. Most of the methods considered were not initially designed for the purpose of biological ballast water sample analysis. It further became clear that not a single metho...

Under certain circumstances vessels do not need to meet ballast water management requirements as stated in the International Convention for the Management and Control of Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention). Besides exceptions to ensure e.g., (a) the safety of a ship, (b) discharge of ballast water for the purpose of avoiding or minimizing...

One of the critical issues in species invasion ecology is the need to understand and evaluate the dimensions and processes of aquatic organisms transfer with vessels ballast water. The assessment of the quantity of ballast water discharged as the medium of transfer is one of the basic elements of the decision making process in ballast water risk as...

EEDI index separates technical and design based aspects from operational and commercial aspects and the core of the indexing formula is given by the ratio between environmental emissions and benefit for the society (work performed), this essentially translates into (number of grams of CO 2 emissions) per tonne per nautical mile. ABSTRACT: The inter...

This risk assessment study focuses on intra Baltic Sea shipping. The HELCOM Guidance to distinguish between unacceptable high risk scenarios and acceptable low risk scenarios – a risk of spreading of alien species by ships on Intra-Baltic voyages (HELCOM Risk Assessment (RA) Guidance) was taken as a starting point to develop the RA concept. In addi...

The human-mediated transfer of harmful organisms via shipping, especially via ballast water transport, has raised considerable attention especially in the last decade due to the negative associated impacts. Ballast water sampling is important to assess the compliance with ballast water management requirements (i.e. compliance monitoring). The compl...

After almost two decades of intensified research, regulatory and political activities focussed on the prevention of harmful organisms and pathogen transfers around the world, in 2004 the International Convention on the Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) was adopted to provide for a common and globally uniform ballast...

Recent comprehensive data provided through the DAISIE project (www.europe-aliens.org) have facilitated the development of the first pan-European assessment of the impacts of alien plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments on ecosystem services. There are 1094 species with documented ecological impact...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This risk assessment study focuses on intra North Sea shipping routes located inside the same bioprovince. The three different risk assessment approaches as outlined in IMO Guideline G7 were evaluated for their applicability in the region. The biogeographic risk assessment approach of G7 is not applicable as the ballast water move...

After almost two decades of intensified research, regulatory and political activities focussed on the prevention of harmful organisms and pathogen transfers around the world in 2004 the International Convention on the Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) was adopted to provide a common and globally uniform ballast water...

Oil spill monitoring is all the more important during circumstances that prevent immediate action, such as the recent crisis in Lebanon during the Israel-Lebanon war. Conditions of war prevented the acquisition of routine and necessary information, such as: the precise quantity of oil lost to the sea, the rate and duration of escape flow (in this c...

The International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations body which administers the international regulatory regime for shipping, noted the negative impact of non-indigenous organisms transported in the ballast water of ships already in the early 1970s. Consequently, measures were taken with the aim to minimize ballast water mediated speci...

The human mediated transfer of aquatic organisms and pathogens via shipping, specifically with ballast water, is a continuing global threat to biodiversity, human health and economic values. In February 2004, as a result of long-term effort of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations body which deals with shipping, the Inte...