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Article: New treaty fights invasive marine species.(Environmental Intelligence)(The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water & Sediments)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- World Watch
- Article date:
- May 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Worldwatch Institute. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The UN's 50-year-old shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), has adopted a treaty aimed at combating the spread of invasive species by shipping vessels. The International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water & Sediments, will guide efforts to prevent the spread of waterborne species through ships' ballast water.
When a ship unloads its cargo at a port, its hull must be filled with water to maintain the vessel's stability, both in port and at sea. On arrival at a destination port, the ship then discharges this "ballast water," often introducing thousands of foreign organisms into the port's waters. For example, ...