Joint HELCOM/OSPAR Guidelines on the Granting of Exemptions Under
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Joint HELCOM/OSPAR Guidelines on the granting of exemptions under the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, Regulation A-4 This document is a part of the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Declaration and was adopted by the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission Joint HELCOM/OSPAR Guidelines for the Contracting Parties of OSPAR and HELCOM on the granting of exemptions under International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, Regulation A-4 Adopted by HELCOM Ministerial Meeting, 3 October 2013 in Copenhagen and OSPAR Agreement 2013-09 Contents .................................................................................................................................................... 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................ 3 IMO Ballast Water Management Convention ........................................................................... 3 Guidelines on the Granting of Exemptions from the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments under Regulation A-4 .................... 4 2. Port Survey Protocol .............................................................................. 6 Background ............................................................................................................................... 6 General port characteristics and available species data .......................................................... 6 Number of sampling sites per port and their selection ............................................................. 7 Timing of sampling.................................................................................................................... 7 Physical parameters ................................................................................................................. 8 Human pathogens .................................................................................................................... 8 Plankton .................................................................................................................................... 8 Mobile Epifauna ........................................................................................................................ 8 Benthic Infauna ......................................................................................................................... 8 Fouling organisms .................................................................................................................... 9 Sample processing, analysis and data reporting ...................................................................... 9 Detailed specifications on sampling methods ........................................................................ 10 3. Target Species ............................................................................................ 10 4. Data Storage ........................................................................................ 11 5. Risk Assessment ........................................................................................ 12 1 6. Decision Support Tool .......................................................................... 14 7. Administrative Procedures ................................................................... 14 Application Process ................................................................................................................ 14 Information to be provided ...................................................................................................... 16 Granting of the exemption ...................................................................................................... 16 Communication of Information ................................................................................................ 16 Withdrawal of an exemption ................................................................................................... 17 Annex 1: Detailed description of the Port Survey Protocol .................................................. 18 Introduction .................................................................................................... 18 Existing sampling in Baltic and North Sea ports ..................................................................... 18 Proposal for a HELCOM-OSPAR port survey protocol .......................................................... 19 Survey design ................................................................................................ 19 Sampling/monitoring frequency .............................................................................................. 19 Site selection .......................................................................................................................... 20 Conducting the survey ............................................................................................................ 20 Specimen handling ................................................................................................................. 26 Sample processing, analysis and data reporting .................................................................... 26 Appendix 1: Field Sampling Equipment .......................................................... 28 Appendix 2: Criteria for quality assured laboratories ..................................... 29 Annex 2: Target Species list ................................................................................................... 30 Annex 3: Detailed explanations for Risk Analysis Algorithm .............................................. 31 Definitions: ..................................................................................................... 31 Annex 4: Decision Support Tool ............................................................................................ 33 Introduction .................................................................................................... 33 User interface ................................................................................................. 33 Status and Contents of the database and respective data. ............................ 33 Web application as interface to the data and the decision tool ...................... 34 Example from web application for the Risk Assessment Tool ........................ 35 Views on the sampling data and target species ..................................................................... 35 Views on the Risk Assessment Tool ...................................................................................... 39 Proposals for further development of database and web application ............. 42 References ..................................................................................................... 42 Content of the data base ................................................................................ 42 Data Model ..................................................................................................... 45 2 1. Introduction 1.1 Loading and discharging ballast water is an essential part of a ships operation, with ships requiring ballast water to maintain their stability, draft and manoeuvrability. Contained within this ballast water are hundreds of microscopic species that will be carried to new destinations by the ship. The vast majority of these species will not survive the journey; however, the species that do survive may establish themselves in a new environment if the biological and physical conditions are favourable. There are numerous well documented examples, from all parts of the world, of the negative effects of non-native species introduced through ballast water. Such non-native species may cause serious ecological, economic and public health impacts, particularly when they become invasive. 1.2 In response to this the International Maritime Organization (IMO) through its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), has over many years, been developing international legislation to prevent the harmful effects of transporting aquatic organisms in ships ballast water. IMO Ballast Water Management Convention 1.3 In February 2004, a Diplomatic Conference convened by IMO adopted the “International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments” (the Convention)1. This Convention put in place international legislation for the first time and will enter into force 12 months after it has been signed by 30 States, representing 35% of world merchant shipping tonnage. The Convention is expected to enter into force in 2014 or 2015. 1.4 The Convention aims to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms from one region to another, by establishing standards and procedures for the management and control of ships' ballast water and sediments. Under the Convention, all ships in international traffic are required to manage their ballast water and sediments to a certain standard, according to a ship-specific ballast water management plan. All ships will also have to carry a ballast water record book and an international ballast water management certificate. The ballast water management standards will be phased in over a period of time. As an intermediate solution, ships should exchange ballast water mid-ocean. However it is expected most ships will need to install an on-board ballast water treatment system. 1.5 Article 3 (1)