Ballast Water Discharge and the Influence of Seawater Environment

Abstract

Ships have carried solid ballast for thousands of years in the form of rocks, sand or metal. In modern times, ships use water as ballast. It is more easier to load on and off a ship and more efficient and economical than solid ones. Ship fills with ballast water when it is empty of cargo, and the ballast water is discharged when it loads cargo. In ballast water ,there are hundreds of organisms carried that cause problematic ecological effects outside of their natural range. Preventing the transfer of invasive species and coordinating a timely and effective response to invasions require cooperation and collaboration between governments. Considerable efforts had already made to formulate appropriate standards for ballast water management during the convention development process. Overview