Ballast Water Management in Ports: Monitoring, Early Warning and Response Measures to Prevent Biodiversity Loss and Risks to Human Health

Abstract

Ballast water is recognised as successfully transporting non-native (potentially) invasive alien species and other harmful organisms (human pathogens and toxic phytoplankton) from one region to another. Global warming enables the successful adaptation of non-native species in new areas. The early detection of harmful species increases the likelihood that the response will be effective and cause less damage to biodiversity, ecosystems, economies and human health. Scientific evidence strongly points to the importance of prevention. In this context, this refers to continuous port monitoring, carried out with the aim of detecting harmful species soon after their introduction. The objectives of rapid detection are (a) early warning and prevention of further spread of harmful species through ballast water or natural circulation, and (b) a timely response through eradication or other appropriate strategies to reduce the number or spatial extent of introduced species. This paper provides guidance for the development of ballast water management in ports based on a literature review. Available and new methods for identifying marine species and best practises in port monitoring for the early detection of harmful species, as well as early warning and response measures following the introduction of species in ports, are presented and discussed.

A Fuzzy Ballast Water Risk Assessment Model in Maritime Transport

“…The main research topics in this field include the development of effective technologies to treat ballast water and prevent the spread of aquatic non-native species [10,11], the efficiency of ballast systems [12], and compliance with regulations [13,14]. The advancements, complexities, and considerations in the field of ballast water treatment, focusing on the need for effective treatment systems to mitigate ecological, economic, environmental, and human health risks associated with the transfer of ballast water [15], inspire diverse technological solutions as either port-based [16,17] or onboard treatment systems [7,18].…”