Black Sea littoral States step up enforcement of Ballast Water Management Convention

Littoral States in the Black Sea are stepping up implementation and enforcement of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM 2004), which aims to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic organisms through ships' ballast water.

A regional workshop held in Batumi, Georgia (21-23 October) has laid the groundwork for a harmonized compliance framework to protect and restore the Black Sea's marine ecosystem.

Sixteen government officials representing different maritime and environmental administrations and agencies from Georgia, Türkiye, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine joined the event.

All had completed IMO's prerequisite e-learning course, Introduction to Ballast Water Management and Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, along with preparatory surveys to tailor the training to regional needs.

Discussions covered risk assessment, contingency planning, exchanging best practices and cooperation among littoral States, with particular focus on the roles of flag, port, and coastal States as defined under BWM 2004.

A field visit to the Port of Batumi demonstrated inspection and sampling procedures, highlighting the importance of national legislation in ensuring effective implementation and enforcement.

The workshop was delivered as part of the IMO's Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP), organized in collaboration with the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia. It followed an earlier assessment of IMO's interventions in the region and progress made by littoral States in ratifying and applying BWM 2004.

Outcomes from the workshop will guide future capacity-development activities and reinforce the commitment of Black Sea States to sustainable management of marine ecosystems.