Press Releases
Accession to the “International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004”
1. On October 10 (same day local time), the Government of Japan deposited its instrument of accession to the “International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (the BWM Convention)” with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General, Mr. Koji Sekimizu, at the IMO’s headquarters in London.
2. The IMO adopted the BWM Convention in February 2004 in order to prevent damage to the environment from living discharging of organisms and sediments contained in ballast water which is seawater that ships take on as “weight” to maintain the balance and stability.
3. The accession by Japan, one of the world’s major maritime nations, to the BWM Convention will contribute to preserving the maritime environment, and is significant from the standpoint of further promoting international cooperation in this field.
4. The BWM Convention will enter into force 12 months after the date on which it is concluded by not less than 30 States, the combined merchant fleets of which constitute more than 35% of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping. The BWM Convention will enter into force with respect to Japan on the same day.
