Ballast water is water (usually salt water) that is pumped into a ship to provide ballast. Ballast is any material that improves the stability of the ship by placing added weight low in the vessel.
Water is attractive since it is easy to add and remove.
Hazards:
(1) transport of potentially invasive species
(2) corrosion if the water is not stored in ballast tanks
(3) sediment or other materials that might be toxic to a marine environment
Ships that use water ballast are required to have and follow a ballast water management plan that includes:
(1) where ballast water taken in
(2) how the intake water is treated
(3) where the ballast water in the ship is discharged
(4) records of compliance
(6) policies
(7) training of crew members
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