Convention and implementation

The introduction of harmful water organisms and pathogens poses is a risk to the environment, human health, property and resources. The Ballast Water Management Convention aims to prevent, minimize and ultimately eliminate these risks by the control and treatment of ballast water and sediments from ships.

On 13 February 2013, Germany acceded to the Ballast Water Management Convention with the Ballast Water Act (Ballastwasser-Gesetz). On 20 June 2013, the relevant document of ratification was deposited with the Secretary General of the IMO. Finland joined the Ballast Water Management Convention on 8 September 2016 as the 52nd country increasing the tonnage to 35.14%. The Convention thus entered into force one year later on 8 September 2017.

The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC at IMO) adopted the amendments to the Annex of the Ballast Water Management Convention (BGBl. 2013 II page 42, 44) on 13 April 2018 by resolutions MEPC.296(72), MEPC.297(72) and MEPC.299(72). These amendments entered into force in Germany on 19 June 2020 with the First Ordinance on Amendments to the Ballast Water Management Convention (BGBl. 2020 II page 401).

Supplementary provisions to the Ballast Water Management Convention and penalties for violations of the Convention were laid down in Regulations on Environmentally Sustainable Behaviour in Maritime Shipping (See-Umweltverhaltensverordnung).

In Germany, the BSH is responsible for measures to prevent the spread of foreign organisms by ships (in accordance with §§ 5 (1) No. 4c, 1 No. 16 of the Seeaufgabengesetz (SeeAufG - Maritime Responsibilities Act). In accordance with the See-Umweltverhaltensverordnung). It therefore performs various tasks in the national implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention (including as the competent authority for the prosecution of administrative offences in the event of violations of the provisions of the Ballast Water Management Convention). It is also responsible for the approval of ballast water management systems.

Further information on the background and implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention in Germany can be found on the service portal German Flag.