Castries – Thursday, November 28, 2013 – The Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA), through its Division of Maritime Affairs, along with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Regional Coordinating Unit for the Caribbean Environment Program (LINEP-CAR/RCU) and RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe held a two day National Workshop today, on Ships' Ballast Water Management (BWM).

The objective of this workshop was to provide detailed information about the ratification, implementation and enforcement of the Convention for the Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water & sediments (BWM Convention). This event will bring together a core group of subject matter experts from the region who will share the best practices and issues involved in ratifying and implementing the Convention. The workshop is intended for any relevant stakeholders involved/interested in the BWM Convention.

Director or Maritime Affairs, SLASPA, Mr. Christopher Alexander indicated “We are pleased to be working with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Regional Coordinating Unit for the Caribbean Environment Program (LINEP-CAR/RCU) and RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe, once again. This time we seek to inform our Maritime community on the ballast water movement and convention. Ballast water is defined as liquid that is brought on board a vessel to increase the draft, change the trim, and regulate the stability or to maintain stress loads within acceptable limits. The disposal of ballast water in indiscriminately can have detrimental effects on the marine environment and that is why we though it prudent to host this workshop. We at SLASPA are committed to providing current and valuable information on the latest conventions, laws and practices in the maritime industry to our stakeholders and this workshop allows us to do that”.

Some of the subject matter that was covered in the workshop include Ship traffic and ballast water movement in the major ports of the host country and Status of Invasive species in the Marine Environment of the host country, Implementing the BWM Convention Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement and conclude with a Discussion on a National strategy/Action Plan on BWM.

For more information on this workshop, please contact the Division of Maritime Affairs at 457 6151.