Turkey issues new ballast water requirements

According to the Club, Turkish authorities have recently issued a notice regarding their efforts to ensure that foreign-flagged vessels meet the Regulation D-2 ballast water performance standard as required by the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention), which went into force on September 8, 2024.

The Regulation D-2 standard specifies that vessels conducting ballast water management shall discharge fewer than 10 viable organisms per cubic meter greater than or equal to 50 micrometers in minimum dimension, and fewer than 10 viable organisms per milliliter smaller than 50 micrometers but greater than or equal to 10 micrometers in minimum dimension. Additionally, the discharge of indicator microbes shall not exceed specified concentrations.

The following policy will apply to vessels calling at Turkish ports:

1. Before vessels are cleared upon arrival, authorities will check the information uploaded to the Port Management Information System to verify whether the International Ballast Water Management Certificate has been issued in compliance with the D-2 standard of the BWM Convention.

2. For vessels that lack documentation establishing compliance with the D-2 standard, port State control authorities will perform an inspection. The vessel will be allowed to resume its voyage once authorities have received confirmation from the vessel’s flag State or shipyard that the vessel is scheduled to install or rectify their D-2 standard-compliant ballast water treatment system.

3. Vessels that fail to produce documentary evidence of compliance with the D-2 standard of the BWM Convention will not be allowed entry into Turkish ports unless they meet the D-2 standard requirements.

4. Container and roll-on/roll-off vessels calling at Turkish ports on liner voyages are allowed additional time, until November 20, 2024, to comply with the D-2 standard.