Ballast Water Management Record Book requirements

13 September 2019 |  C19038

Following Dromon C18035, we would like to remind ShipOwners and Surveyors on the BWRB requirements.

NOTICE TO
Ship Owners/ Managers/ Operators | Surveyors / Auditors

DromonClass has noticed that Port State Control Officers are checking the format of the Ballast Water Record Book, thus we would like to remind all parties on the requirements of the BWM Record Book.

Following MEPC.288(71), the Ballast Water Management Record Book has been updated and its format can be found attached to this Circular.

Each ship shall have on board a Ballast Water record book as required by BWMC, Regulation B-2. That may be an electronic record system, or integrated into another record book or system and, which shall at least contain the information specified in Appendix II.

Ballast Water record book entries shall be maintained on board the ship for a minimum period of two years after the last entry has been made and thereafter in the Company‘s control for a minimum period of three years.

Each operation concerning Ballast Water shall be fully recorded without delay in the Ballast Water record book. Each entry shall be signed by the officer in charge of the operation concerned and each completed page shall be signed by the master.

Each operation concerning Ballast Water must be fully recorded without delay in the Ballast Water Record Book. Each entry must be signed by the officer in charge of the operation concerned and each completed page shall be signed by the master. More specifically, the entries in the BWRB should be made when:

• ballast water is taken on board;
• circulated, transferred between tanks or treated for Ballast Water Management purposes;
• discharged into the sea;
• Ballast Water is discharged to a reception facility;
• accidental or other exceptional discharges of Ballast Water;
• additional operational procedure and general remarks;
• exemptions; and
• exceptions including emergency procedures.

In the event of the discharge of Ballast Water pursuant to regulations A-3, A-4 or B-3.6 or in the event of other accidental or exceptional discharge of Ballast Water not otherwise exempted by the BWM Convention, an entry shall be made in the Ballast Water record book describing the circumstances of, and the reason for, the discharge.

The minimum information to be entered in the BWRB (as detailed in appendix II) includes:

• date/time;
• location;
• port or facility of uptake (latitude/longitude);
• depth if out of port;
• estimated amount of ballast water uptake or discharge in cubic metres; and
• whether the ballast water management plan (BWMP) was implemented prior to discharge.

The entries in the Ballast Water record book shall be in a working language of the ship. If that language is not English, French or Spanish the entries shall contain a translation into one of those languages. When entries in an official national language of the State whose flag the ship is entitled to fly are also used, these shall prevail in case of a dispute or discrepancy.

The Ballast Water Record Book is to be kept readily available for inspection at all reasonable times and, in the case of an unmanned ship under tow, may be kept on the towing ship.

Act now

Owners/ Managers/ Operators should ensure that an updated Ballast Water Management Record Book exist on board their vessels and that seafarers on board are familiar with their duties to the requirements of the BWMC and the entries on the BWRB.

Dromon Surveyors should ensure that the updated Ballast Record Book should be maintained on board and its properly filled.