Vessels in ocean trade carry a diverse assembly of organisms in their ballast water. The undesirable spreading of such organisms is a major pollution concern for the shipping industry, and a new risk-based system to prevent it is now planned.
The Nordic Council of Ministers has provided the major funding of a DNV project to examine how geographical information systems, marine biology principles and knowledge of proven, undesirable transfers of organisms can be put into effect to combat the problem.
In some areas, fish stocks have been destroyed; elsewhere, the ecosystem is irreversibly changed. Once a new species is established, it is very difficult to reverse the process, explains Jesper Heldbo, Senior Adviser for Fisheries Affairs, Nordic Council of Ministers. The Council is a co-operative body of the Nordic governments, and the Fisheries Affairs department aims to ensure sustainable development of their fisheries.
Nordic waters are fragile, and the fisheries are important to the economy. The Council has been involved with the issue of alien species since this ballast-water transfer mechanism was recognised, Heldbo says.
International risk atlas
DNV researchers foresee a future international risk-based system to prevent undesirable organism dispersion. The tool will eventually be made available through the internet.
In 1998 DNV took the initiative to combine bio-geographical dispersion studies and traditional risk analyses in order to be able to identify risky ballast operations. A geographical information system - a risk atlas - has been developed in which basic hydrological and biological data is put into a risk matrix.
The atlas is an international internet-based system with a manned panel, where ships can plot in where they have taken on ballast water and where they aim to discharge it. Based on a risk assessment linked to bio-geographical compatibility, the master can be warned of any possible risk of transferring organisms, and measures to avert it.
Ultimately, says Heldbo, an international group of authorities, researchers and shipping-industry experts will be formed to coordinate activities.
Scandinavian trial run
There are at present no mandatory international regulations addressing the issue of biological transfer. However, regulations are under development by IMO, and both the EU Concerted Action Group and Australias national ballast-water programme are involved, among others.
The risk atlas project has been presented to the EU and IMO ballast water working groups. As a result, it has received funding from the EUs 5th framework programme to further develop solutions. DNV will now conduct an integration phase and a trial run in the Nordic region before the system is launched internationally.