NIO to draw up ballast water mgmt plans
PANAJI: The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) will prepare detailed management plans for the country's eight major ports aimed at the management of ballast water from sailing ships, which cause health and other problems through invasive organisms. "The project envisages carrying out-of-port biological baseline surveys, ballast water risk assessment, developing geographical information system on ballast water management, identifying suitable site for each port for the discharge of ballast water in emergency situations," a NIO source said.
The institute will also conduct on-voyage ballast water sampling and implementation of electronic ballast water reporting form for ships, the source added. A memorandum of understanding to extend the research to the ports of Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Haldia, Kandla, Tuticorin, Paradeep and Kolkata will be signed between NIO and the directorate general of shipping (DGS) shortly, NIO sources said. "Marine bioinvasion has been considered as one of the greatest threats that are challenging the health of the oceans," the source said. Explaining further, the source said that 90% of the cargo is transported through sea routes and around 10 billion tonnes of ballast water is loaded and discharged from port to port.
"A variety of living organisms, including pathogens, can enter and thrive in any environment under favourable conditions, posing danger to the ecosystem and human health. Such bio-invasion cases have been documented," the source said. Taking cognizance of the gravity of the bio-invasion threat, International Maritime Organization (IMO) has evolved the International convention for control and management of ship's ballast water and sediments in 2004.
All maritime countries have to adhere to the guidelines and standards set by it. "The ships have to exercise options of mid-oceanic exchange, ballast water risk assessment and ballast water treatment technologies," the source added. NIO has already carried out work for the ports of Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mormugao and Visakhapatnam under 'Globallast' and 'Government of India initiative' programmes. This was in the form of port biological baseline surveys, ballast water risk assessment and identification of ballast water discharge sites.
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