The Seafarer’s Level of Understanding on Ballast Water Management Convention

Abstract

Due to practical and economic considerations, the sea transportation is increasingly in demand as a means of transporting world trade activities. The ships without cargo will use ballast water as a stabilizer. Ballast water is often carried by various foreign microorganisms that harm the ecosystem. IMO promulgated the 8 September 2017 Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention to prevent the spread of harmful pathogenic microbes. This study aims to determine the understanding of seafarers of the provisions of BWM. The descriptive-analytical method used a cross-sectional approach using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The sample consisted of 47 seafarers; 3 samples were removed because they did not meet the requirements. The results show that most respondents do not understand the provisions of BWM correctly. None of the respondents knew when the BWM was enacted. In some questions, less than 10% of the answers are correct. However, on the importance of handling ballast water, there is 43.18% answered correctly, meaning that there is a concern for respondents about the dangers of it, and it is essential to address it immediately. We suggest that socialization among seafarers can be through seminars or special training on ballast water.