Speaking at the ICS International Shipping Conference, IMO Secretary General Koji Sekimizu today repeasted his call for the ICS and the shipping industry in general to encourage ratification of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention.

“The fact that the industry, through ICS, decided no longer to actively discourage ratification. I hoped with this endorsement this legislation could enter into force. However, as we enter autumn, it dismays me to see that it has still yet to receive sufficient ratification to trigger entry

. “If the industry has stopped discouraging governments from ratifying, then what is holding them back?”The situation demonstrated that further action would be needed, Sekimizu argued.

“Shipping can help speed up this process by not just ceasing to discourage states, but by actively encouraging them to do so.“In terms of the failure to implement BWM convention, putting aside the failure of global stewardship, the failure will lead to the regional actions I have repeatedly warned against and undermine the ability of shipping to operate effectively.

“Shipping is international. Not national, not regional. That is why it needs a global system for the implementation of global standards. “No states should seek to impose regional legislation. Every state has responsibilities to the global community. The possibility of regional action has always been a threat to sustainability, and global standards adopted by IMO are essential."