A new two-day course has been launched by Warsash Maritime Academy, part of Southampton Solent University, in response to the imminent ratification of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention (2004).

This intensive course will ensure that yacht captains and operators are better prepared to implement and monitor the Convention.

The Convention includes an environmental responsibility for the shipping industry including yachts, with measures being put in place to avoid pollution through the transfer of non-indigenous species from one area of the world to another through the ship’s water ballast. The Ballast Water Management (BWM) course, being delivered by Warsash’s maritime training experts is designed to help provide a clear understanding of implementation and monitoring requirements at an early stage. Even those vessels which do not ordinarily undertake ballast operations have to operate a Ballast Water Management System.

Petrochemical senior lecturer and course leader, Captain Nadeem Anwar, says: “There are no mandatory training requirements to date. However, for monitoring purposes, the administrations either have to organise in-house training or take advantage of the available quality course on this topic.

“Similarly, yacht captains and engineers need to develop an ability to inform their decision making regarding the management system required as per the Convention. Upon ratification, there will be – as usual – a race against time; therefore by attending our course this is an opportunity to prepare for compliance”.

The Ballast Water Management course will take delegates through the requirements, and provide the knowledge required for planning, implementation and monitoring of the Convention. As enforcement authorities will have a part to play to ensure that the vessels comply with the requirements, the course also provides an overview of the key monitoring and compliance checks to be expected from Port State Control.

In addition, the main principles of a management system and where needed, the treatment technologies available for installation and use will be outlined, along with the pitfalls of the same. Furthermore, the issues of installation, retrofitting and convention compliance are covered. The course provides an overview of the key foreign legislation and the key differences with the Convention requirements.

The BWM course is aimed for a wide variety of professionals within the yacht sector. As well as yacht officers, the course is suitable for those who have positions with shore management.

The first course starts 5 October 2016, full details of the course can be found here.