Ballast water management plan

The Ballast Water Management Plan is the ship-specific, flag-state-approved document that sets out how a vessel manages its ballast water to meet the BWM Convention. It describes the ballast system, the safety procedures for the crew, the method used to meet the D-1 exchange or D-2 treatment standard, sediment handling, and the designated officer responsible. Every ship the Convention applies to carries the approved plan plus the Ballast Water Record Book and an International Ballast Water Management Certificate valid up to five years. Port state control inspects the plan, the certificate, and the record book, and may sample the discharged ballast water.