Turkey today, October 14, ratified the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention 2004, bringing the number of Contracting States to 43 countries, representing approximately 32.54% of world merchant shipping tonnage. 35% of global tonnage will trigger entry into force of the Convention, which addresses the problem of invasive species being transported around the world in ships’ ballast water.
Turkey’s instrument of accession was presented by His Excellency Abdurrahman Bilgiç, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Turkey to IMO, to IMO Secretary-General Sekimizu during the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 67) session.
The move comes four days after Japan brought the number of Contracting States to 42 on October 10, representing 32.02% of world merchant shipping tonnage. Noriyoshi Yamagami, Minister, Alternate Permanent Representative of Japan to IMO, and Yasu Onishi, Alternate Permanent Representative of Japan to IMO, deposited Japan’s instrument of accession to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004.
IMO Secretary-General Sekimizu said Japan’s accession was an important milestone, bringing the convention significantly closer to meeting its entry-into-force requirements. He hoped it would trigger further ratifications, enabling the convention to enter into force soon.