Report on the Joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Ballast Water Management

Introduction

The member Authorities of the Tokyo and Paris Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control will conduct a joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) from September 1 to November 30. The campaign will focus on verifying compliance with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This inspection campaign is a critical initiative that directly supports the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing the environmental threats posed by unmanaged ship ballast water.

• SDG 14: Life Below Water: The primary goal of the BWM Convention is to prevent the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ballast water. This campaign directly contributes to Target 14.1, which aims to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, and Target 14.2, focused on sustainably managing and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The joint effort by the Tokyo and Paris MoUs exemplifies Target 17.16, which encourages and promotes effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships. This collaboration enhances the global maritime regulatory framework and ensures consistent enforcement for environmental protection.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: By preventing the introduction of invasive aquatic species, the campaign helps protect the integrity of coastal and estuarine ecosystems, which are critical interfaces between marine and terrestrial environments.

Campaign Objectives and Methodology

The purpose of the 2025 CIC is to ensure that vessels are in full compliance with the BWM Convention, promoting its effective and consistent implementation. Port State Control Officers will conduct inspections using a predefined questionnaire to assess adherence to mandatory BWM requirements.

Inspection Questionnaire Criteria

During the campaign, inspections will be guided by a specific set of questions to determine compliance:

1. Is a valid International Ballast Water Management Certificate (IBWMC) on board?
2. Is the approved Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP) on board?
3. Is the BWMP up to date to reflect the applicable requirements to manage Ballast Water as required by the Convention?
4. Are officers and crew familiar with their duties in the implementation of the BWMP?
5. Is the Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) approved by the Administration/Organization, as appropriate?
6. Is the BWMS operational?
7. Was the Ballast Water managed according to the BWMP?
8. Is the Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB) properly filled including exemptions if granted?
9. Is the crew managing Ballast Water sediments in accordance with the BWMP?
10. If an exemption has been granted, are the conditions of exemption implemented?

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article primarily addresses two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through its focus on the regulation and management of ships’ ballast water.

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  This is the most direct SDG connection. The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention), which the inspection campaign enforces, is designed to prevent the spread of invasive aquatic species transported in ships’ ballast water. By ensuring compliance, the campaign contributes to protecting marine and coastal ecosystems from the significant adverse impacts of these non-indigenous species, thereby helping to maintain biodiversity and the health of the oceans.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article highlights a “joint concentrated inspection campaign (CIC)” conducted by the “member Authorities of the Tokyo and the Paris Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Port State Control.” This collaboration between two major regional port state control regimes exemplifies a multi-stakeholder partnership. It aims to “promote the effective and consistent implementation of the BWM Convention,” which directly supports the goal of enhancing policy coherence and strengthening global partnerships for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the goals identified, the following specific targets are relevant:

1. Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.

   The entire purpose of the BWM Convention and the inspection campaign is to manage a key vector for marine pollution (invasive species) and protect marine ecosystems. The article’s focus on ensuring ships “meet the mandatory requirements for Ballast Water Management” is a direct action to prevent the “significant adverse impacts” caused by harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens.

2. Target 17.14: Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development.

   The article states that the campaign was initiated to “promote the effective and consistent implementation of the BWM Convention.” This demonstrates an effort by multiple authorities (Tokyo and Paris MoUs) to align their enforcement practices and ensure that international environmental policy is applied coherently across different regions, which is the essence of this target.

3. Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources…

   The joint campaign itself is a “multi-stakeholder partnership” between the port state control authorities of the Tokyo and Paris MoUs. They are pooling their resources and expertise to achieve a common sustainable development objective—the protection of the marine environment. The use of a “pre-defined questionnaire” represents the sharing of knowledge and a standardized approach to enforcement.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article implicitly provides a clear set of indicators through the questionnaire that Port State Control Officers will use. These questions serve as direct, measurable checks for compliance and can be aggregated to measure progress.

• Indicators for Target 14.2 (Protecting Marine Ecosystems):

  Progress is measured by the level of compliance with the BWM Convention. The questionnaire items translate directly into performance indicators:

  • Percentage of inspected ships with a valid International Ballast Water Management Certificate (IBWMC).
  • Percentage of ships with an approved and up-to-date Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP).
  • Percentage of ships with an Administration-approved and operational Ballast Water Management System (BWMS).
  • Percentage of ships where ballast water and sediments were managed according to the BWMP, as verified by the Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB).
  • Assessed level of crew familiarity with their duties in implementing the BWMP.

• Indicators for Targets 17.14 & 17.16 (Partnerships and Policy Coherence):

  The existence and nature of the campaign itself serve as indicators:

  • The establishment of a joint inspection campaign between the Tokyo and Paris MoUs.
  • The development and use of a “pre-defined questionnaire” to ensure consistent and coherent implementation of the BWM Convention across different port states and regions.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: marinelink.com