Surveying for Ballast Water Management (BWM)
What Marine Protection Rules Part 300 requires
Marine Protection Rules Part 300 requires ships to:
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have an approved Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP)
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for certain ships, be surveyed to verify the ship’s arrangements comply with the BWMP
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have an approved ballast water management system, and an International Ballast Water Management Certificate (IBWMC) or Ballast Water Management Approval (BWM Approval).
Verifying the BWMP
Ships that fall under the Convention and Marine Protection Rules Part 300, because they can carry non-permanent ballast water and undertake international voyages, must always keep an approved BWMP on board. The BWMP must be:
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available to crew when they manage and discharge ballast water
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available for inspection by port and flag State administrations.
The BWMP must include:
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operational processes and procedures
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guidance for crew on record‑keeping requirements based on the ship’s Ballast Water Record Book (BWRB)
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any exemptions that apply to the ship
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provisions for crew training and familiarisation, explaining to crew the need for ballast water management and record keeping.
Carry out the survey
After the BWMP is approved, a surveyor will be approached to undertake a survey addressing the points raised below in the Guidance for surveyors on ballast water management.
When the surveyor is satisfied that the vessel’s arrangements reflect the approved BWMP, provide the survey report and the relevant checklist to the operator.
The operator will include these documents in their application to Maritime NZ for ballast water system approval and the associated document: an IBWMC for vessels of 400 gross tonnage (GT) or more, or a BWM Approval for vessels under 400 GT.
Which vessels you can survey
Vessels of 400 GT or more can only be surveyed by a Recognised Organisation (RO) or by a Recognised Surveyor with specific recognition under Part 300.
Operators of ships under 400 GT must show that the ship’s BWM align with the approved BWMP. Maritime NZ recommends that, once the BWMP is approved, a Recognised Surveyor with P1 or P1r recognition for the unlimited area carries out the survey.