Why Should We Comply?

"I am only one of many…" you might say, which is true! And since there are many other seafarers out there, we have to work together. Even though you have not suffered from any direct consequences of Ballast Water yet, it does not mean that it won't happen. Today, we are travelling around the world more than ever, and diseases can spread quickly. As mentioned at the beginning of this course, the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019/2020 is a great example of how fast it can happen and the enormous consequences. 

To highlight an example, how many zooplankton specimens do you think one cubic meter of ballast water holds? Zooplankton specimens are, together with phytoplankton, at the bottom of the food chain. Individual zooplankton are usually microscopic, but some are larger and more visible. Zooplankton can also act as a disease reservoir and have been found to play a notable role in the big spread of cholera.

But the question was, how many of these does one cubic meter hold? Well, one cubic meter of ballast water can contain up to 50,000 zooplankton specimens. This means thousands of different marine species may be carried in ships' ballast water, anything small enough to pass through a ship's ballast water intake ports and pumps. The water does not only include zooplankton, but it also contains bacteria and other microbes, small invertebrates, and the eggs, cysts, and larvae of various species, and fish. However, not all of these will survive in the ballast tank because it is a hostile environment with considerable disturbance, and a lack of food, and light.

As you probably understand, it is the ones that do survive that will become a problem since they are strong by nature. Many of them have gone through strenuous conditions and still managed to survive. This indicates that they are adaptable, and the risk of them reproducing once relocated increases. The ecosystems can be overwhelmed due to this, and it can lead to the loss of food sources for other marine species. In some cases, there is a high probability that the organism will become a dominant species, potentially resulting in:

This loss of native marine species can also significantly impact those who rely on the sea for their food and income. As mentioned earlier, invasive alien species can also carry a potential health risk and contaminate the water supply and food chain. 

There is also an additional aspect of the harmful organisms in ships' ballast water. It is not just that they are being transported worldwide and affect the local ecosystems; it will most probably become more noticeable in the future in correlation with increased trade. Therefore, it is essential to address the issue now because tomorrow, it could be too late. Much indicates that international trade won't stop growing, and therefore, the problem may not yet have reached its peak. 

Microorganisms are an absolute necessity for the functioning of ecosystems. They play a central role in converting the organic material produced in the sea and often sink to the bottom. They are essential for the circulation of nutrients, such as carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles, for vitamin production and greenhouse gas conversion. All of this is what we now often call ecosystem functions, which are prerequisites for all life. 

Without them, the ecosystem collapses. Land-based and sea-based ecosystems are closely linked, and without functioning ecosystems, it is impossible to live on Earth.

Want to learn more about invasive species and Ballast Water? See this documentary movie made in collaboration between the British BBC and IMO: Invaders From the Sea, a BBC Worldwide-IMO Production.