As part of the BALMAS IPA project, practical training on taking and processing water samples from tanks on ships was held in the Port of Bar at the end of July, and the first analyzes showed that there is no danger of ballast discharge.
The training was organized by the Maritime Safety Administration with the help and cooperation of the Port Captains of Bar and Kotor and the University of Montenegro - Institute of Marine Biology.
The BALMAS (Ballast Water Management System) project deals with the problem of ballast water, which, on the one hand, is necessary for the safe navigation of ships, but which, on the other hand, can be a barrier to the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens (HAOP) beyond their natural boundaries.
Research is carried out in 12 ports on the Adriatic, including the Port of Bar.
Namely, as part of the BALMAS project, equipment was acquired for indicative and detailed sampling of water from ballast tanks. When the Ballast Water Convention enters into force, this type of sampling will be part of regular inspection control, so it is extremely important that those institutions that will be involved in the whole process acquire the necessary practice in handling this equipment.
The training, which lasted for two days and during which samples were taken from the ships that were docked in the port of Bar, was held by Jernej Uhan from the Marine Station in Piran, and the guest at the training was Mladen Kustura from the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Mostar.
An indicative, rapid analysis was done on the ship, which showed a low risk (Low Risk), which indicates that there is no danger of ballast discharge. In the laboratories of the Institute of Marine Biology and in the laboratory of the Faculty of Science and Mathematics in Podgorica, detailed analyzes of biological parameters, i.e. determination of the number and types of organisms, were carried out. The analyzes were in accordance with the indicative analyzes and showed a low number of organisms and a low diversity of species.
When the Ballast Water Convention enters into force, if a low risk is shown through indicative sampling, detailed analyzes will not be carried out. During the workshop, detailed analyzes were done as part of the training, in order to cover both analyses. If the risk is high, more detailed analyzes are made to determine the exact number and presence of species.
The BALMAS project (Ballast Water Management System for the Protection of the Adriatic Sea) began to be implemented in November 2013, and with these samplings in the Port of Bar, the project was completed.
It was implemented by 16 partners and seven associated partners from six countries at the level of the Adriatic Sea. The project holder is the Water Institute of the Republic of Slovenia.
The project will result in the adoption of a common strategy and management plans in all countries participating in the project - Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro, and one of the most significant effects will be a jointly developed early warning system, which should help preserve the Adriatic ecosystem. .
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