12narrated modules with 3D practical scenes
212minutes of lessons, about 3 hours 30 minutes
136modules across 20+ courses in the VS CBT library
12,000+seafarers trained from over 150 companies
Ballast water keeps a ship safe. It provides stability, trim and structural balance when cargo holds are empty or only partly loaded. But every tonne of sea water taken on in one port and discharged in another can also carry living organisms — plankton, larvae, bacteria and pathogens — that can establish themselves far from home. Billions of tonnes of ballast water move around the world every year, and the invasive species it has helped to spread are recognised as one of the major threats to the health of our oceans.
The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (the BWM Convention) is the maritime industry’s answer. It requires ships to manage their ballast water to defined standards, to carry an approved Ballast Water Management Plan and a Ballast Water Record Book, and to prove compliance to Port State Control. The rules continue to tighten:
How the BWM rules have tightened
In force since 8 September 2017
The BWM Convention requires ships to manage ballast water to defined standards and prove it to Port State Control.
D-2 applies to all ships
The D-2 performance standard now applies to every ship, not just newbuilds.
New Record Book form
A new Ballast Water Record Book form has been in force since 1 February 2025.
Electronic record books
Electronic record books are now recognised by the IMO.
2026 amendments and guidelines
Further amendments and revised guidelines for ballast water management plans were approved in 2026.
Entry into force to be decided
The date the 2026 amendments enter into force is still to be decided, so the requirements will keep moving.
