BALLAST WATER: a risk not only for ecosystems

Invasive aquatic species, as well as physical-chemical characteristics of ballast water are one of the greatest threats to the world's oceans and can cause extremely serious impacts on environmental, economic and public health conditions.

Ballast water is recognized by the World Health Organization and the International Maritime Organization, as one of the main vectors for the spread of potentially invasive alien species, and is responsible for the global daily transfer of diferente marine species.

Ballast water typically contains a variety of materials, including plants, animals, protozoa, eggs, larvae, spores, viruses and bacteria. There are hundreds of organisms transported in ballast water that cause ecological effects external to their natural environment, that is, to the different biomes to which they can be released.

In addition to the consequences for ecosystems, the invasion of species by ballast water causes high economic losses worldwide. Human health is also affected by the spread of diseases such as paralytic shellfish poison, cholera outbreak, etc.

The International Maritime Organization lists the ten most unwanted species in ballast water operations.