Sampling Methodologies and Approaches for Ballast Water Management Compliance Monitoring

The human-mediated transfer of harmful organisms via shipping, especially via ballast water transport, has raised considerable attention especially in the last decade due to the negative associated impacts. Ballast water sampling is important to assess the compliance with ballast water management requirements (i.e. compliance monitoring). The complexity of ballast water sampling is a result of organism diversity and behaviour which may require different sampling strategies, as well as ship design implications including availability of ballast water sampling points. This paper discusses the ballast water sampling methodologies with emphasis on compliance monitoring by the Port State Control officers according to the International Convention on the Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004. KEY WORDS: maritime transport, compliance control, port state control, ballast water sampling, ballast water managemen