IMO (International Maritime Organization)

The aim of this guideline is to aid maritime administrators, or other lead agencies working with ballast water management, to assess and quantify (as appropriate and possible) the potential economic consequences of unintended marine species introductions.

This manual is the product of countries’ requests for assistance in strengthening and developing national regulatory frameworks related to marine Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in particular with respect to the transfer of potentially harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ships’ ballast water and sediments. It is directed at national level practitioners as a hands-on guide to the development of national ballast water management strategies.