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Ships' ballast water and sediments are vectors that contribute to the unintentional spread of aquatic non-native species globally. Ballast water management, as well as commissioning testing of ballast water management systems and compliance monitoring under the regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) aim at minimizing the unwanted spread of organisms. This study compiles data for treated ballast water samples collected and analyzed from 228 ships during 2017-2023. The samples were collected from the ballast discharge line or directly from the ballast tank for enumeration of living organism concentrations in the categories of ≥50µm and ballast water should be undertaken to ensure that the systems remain operational after commissioning and ships meet requirements of the D-2 standard. Furthermore, the study

Ballast Water Management Convention Amendments Enter Into Force.

International limits on the concentrations of living organisms in ballast water are now in force for commercial ships. Microscopy-based, "direct count" assays estimate the concentrations of organisms. These assays are used in performance tests of Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMSs), which are shipboard technologies designed to reduce living organisms in ballast water to below the discharge limits. Here, we examine the factors that affect the method detection limit (MDL) of direct count assays. The MDL depends upon the volumes sampled, concentrated (or diluted), and analyzed, so the MDL will vary as these volumes vary from analysis-to-analysis. Decreasing the MDL to detect exceedingly rare individuals (e.g., ~1 individual per m3 or fewer) is possible, but problematic, given the challenges in analyzing dynamic communities of living organisms: increasing sample and analysis volumes to lower the MDL will likely accelerate the loss of individuals, as organisms are concentrated to several orders of magnitude above in situ concentrations and held for extended times. Results of direct count assays may be widely disseminated as an indicator of the performance of BWMSs, and when no organisms are detected, concentrations may be shown as "0 organisms per m3 or mL" rather than "-provides context to results and transparency into the sensitivity of the assay.

Salvors Adjusting Hoegh Osaka's Ballast System.

Salvors Adjusting Hoegh Osaka's Ballast System.

EPA releases plan to regulate ship ballast water.

US court rejects challenge to EPA ballast permit.

U.S. Ballast Water Bill Awaits President's Signature.

CMA CGM orders BIO-SEA ballast water systems for 17 containerships.

A rapid scan of the environmental DNA in ballast water can show whether ships are following rules meant to prevent the spread of invasive species and disease.

Shipowners get two-year reprieve for ballast water convention.

Australia Ratifies Ballast Water Convention.

Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a troubling new disease that is spreading rapidly across the greater Caribbean region, but the etiological agent(s) and the mechanisms(s) of spread are both unknown. First detected off the coast of Miami, Florida, major ocean currents alone do not explain the pattern of spread, with outbreaks occurring across geographically disjunct and distant locations. This has raised concerns by researchers and resource managers that commercial vessels may contribute as vectors to spread of the disease. Despite existing regulatory and management strategies intended to limit coastal marine invasion risks, the efficacy of these measures is still unresolved for ship-borne microorganisms, and disease transport via ballast water and hull biofouling are under examination given the high ship traffic in the region. Here, to help inform the discussion of ships as possible vectors of SCTLD, we provide an overview of the current state of knowledge about ships and their potential to transfer organisms in the greater Caribbean, focusing in particular on ballast water, and outline a set of recommendations for future research.

Biological invasions often result from transfers of organisms during trade activities. In coastal ecosystems, commercial ships are a dominant source of species transfers globally, and ships' ballast water (BW) is a major focus of biosecurity management and policy to reduce invasions. While trade drives shipping patterns, diverse vessel types and behaviors exist such that the quantitative relationship between trade and BW dynamics is still poorly resolved, limiting both science and management. Here, we evaluated a new method to predict BW discharge using trade data, by explicitly considering known BW practices according to vessel and commodity type. Specifically, we estimated the relationship between tonnage of overseas exports and BW discharge volume for San Francisco Bay (SFB), California, as a model system to demonstrate this approach. Using extensive datasets on shipborne exports and BW discharge, we (a) evaluated spatial and temporal patterns across nearly 20 ports in this estuary from 2006 to 2014 and (b) developed a predictive model to estimate overseas BW discharge volume from foreign export tonnage for the whole estuary. Although vessel arrivals in SFB remained nearly constant from 2006 to 2014, associated tonnage of exported commodities more than doubled and BW discharge more than tripled. Increased BW volume resulted from increased frequency and per capita discharge of bulk carriers from Asia and tankers from western Central America and Hawaii, reflecting shifts in direction of commodity movement. The top 11 export commodities (59% of total export tonnage) were transported on bulk carriers or tankers. In a multivariate linear model, annual tonnage of these top 11 export commodities by vessel type were strong predictors of total bay-wide overseas BW discharge (adjusted R2 = 0.92), creating the potential to estimate past or future BW delivery in SFB. Bulk export tonnage provides valuable insights into BW flux, since most BW discharge to ports is driven by

Internal seawater systems (ISS) are critical to the proper functioning of maritime vessels. Sea water is pumped on board ships for a broad array of uses, primarily for temperature control (e.g., engine and electrical systems), cooling capacity (e.g., air conditioners and refrigeration), and water provision (e.g., drinking, firefighting, steam, and ballast). Although sea water may spend only a brief period within ISS of a vessel, it can carry microorganisms and larval stages of macroorganisms throughout the system leading to biofouling accumulation that can impair system function or integrity. ISS can also act as a sub-vector of species translocations, potentially facilitating biological invasions. This review describes ships' ISS with a focus on operational impacts of biofouling and current drivers and barriers associated with ISS biofouling management. As ISS internal components are difficult to access, reports and studies of ISS biofouling are uncommon and much of the dedicated literature is decades old. The impact of biofouling on ISS and vessel operations is based on increased surface roughness of pipework and equipment, restricted water flow, corrosion and subsequent component impingement, reduced surface functional efficiency, and potential contamination by pathogens that can affect human and aquatic animal health. Biofouling management is primarily achieved using antifouling coatings and marine growth prevention systems, but independent and accessible data on their efficacy in ISS remain limited. Further research is required to resolve the extent to which biofouling occurs in ISS of the modern commercial fleet and the efficacy of preventive systems. Such information can ultimately inform decisions to improve operational efficiency for vessel operators and ensure any biosecurity risks are appropriately managed.

Introduction: The majority of studies on marine biosecurity focus on aquatic species, but invaders can also use dry ship compartments for dispersal; this pathway has been less explored than fouling or ballast water. Here we analysed the maritime traffic of the international Port of Gijon (south Bay of Biscay, Spain) as a case study.