
Ships which carry permanent ballast water in sealed tanks which is not subject to discharge.Ģ.5 IMO Circular BWM.2/Circ.32 provides guidance on the applicability of the BWM Convention to hopper dredgers.Any warship, naval auxiliary or other ship owned or operated by a State and used only on government, non-commercial service.In the UK context, this means that the Regulations do not apply to ships which operate only in UK waters or UK controlled waters and the high seas Ships which operate only in waters under the jurisdiction of a single Contracting State and on the high seas.In the UK context, this means that the Regulations do not apply to ships which operate only in UK waters or controlled waters Ships which operate only in waters under the jurisdiction of a single Contracting State.Ships which are not designed or constructed to carry ballast water.the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone) (regulation 4).Ģ.3 It should be noted that the definition of a “ship” means a vessel of any type operating in the aquatic environment and includes submersibles, floating craft, floating platforms, floating storage units and floating production storage and offloading units. ApplicationĢ.1 Subject to paragraph 2.4 below, the Regulations apply to UK ships regardless of tonnage wherever they may be (regulation 4).Ģ.2 The Regulations also apply to non-UK ships, when they are in UK waters and controlled waters (i.e. It sets out regulations which address the spread of invasive non-native species by ships’ ballast water and sediments.ġ.2 The United Kingdom (UK) has implemented the BWM Convention’s requirements through the Merchant Shipping (Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments) Regulations 2022 (“the Regulations”).ġ.3 The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on certain aspects of the Regulations.

Introductionġ.1 The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (“BWM Convention”) was adopted at a Diplomatic Conference held at the International Maritime Organization’s (“IMO”) headquarters in 2004 and came into force on 8 September 2017. The Regulations implement the requirements of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (2004). The purpose of this Marine Guidance Notice is to provide guidance on certain aspects of the Merchant Shipping (Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments) Regulations 2022.
