An International Maritime Organisation (IMO) convention introducing Ballast Water Management System (BWMS) rules could be ratified by the end of this year, a classification society official says.

Six more countries are expected to join the treaty soon, bringing the percentage of the world’s merchant-shipping tonnage backing it above a required 35% threshold, says John Kokarakis, Bureau Veritas (BV) director of technical services for the Hellenic and Black Sea region.

“We