The new BIMCO BWM survey has been launched to gather industry insights on challenges and preparedness regarding compliance with Regulation D-2 under the IMO’s BWM Convention, alongside practical issues related to daily operations and third-party inspections. The findings will inform evidence-based recommendations to the IMO, manufacturers and other stakeholders.
Why your participation matters
With the second stage of the IMO’s BWM Convention taking effect on 8 September 2024, the transition from ballast water exchange (Regulation D-1) to mandatory ballast water treatment (Regulation D-2) is fully realised. This global standard aims to minimise the transfer of invasive aquatic species and protect marine ecosystems.
This survey provides an opportunity for you to share insights on how these regulations and guidelines affect daily operations on board your ships. Your feedback is critical for ensuring that IMO guidance is practical and accounts for real-world challenges, helping to refine standards while supporting efficient ship operations. Our goal is to encourage manufacturers to accelerate their efforts to enhance BWM systems quality and provide maritime administrations with an update on compliance with the BWM Convention. We also aim to request member states to refrain from penalising vessels when systems failures are solely attributable to challenging water quality.
About the survey
This survey explores key challenges and level of preparedness for the mandatory application of Regulation D-2, alongside practical issues relating to daily operations and third-party inspections. We expect the survey to take between 10 and 20 minutes to complete depending on the amount of information you are happy to share.
The level of response necessitates input from management-level employees and information collection across respective departments and fleet to offer us valuable data reflecting the global industry's perspective on issues related to BWM.
How to complete
The survey is available at BIMCO BWM Survey 2025.
When you have completed the questionnaire, just click the SUBMIT button to send it to BIMCO. Your responses will be treated confidentially, and the results will be anonymised. No identifying information such as company names or personal details will be included in the final analysis nor shared with third parties.
Should you need assistance completing the survey, please contact marinesurveys@bimco.org.
Thank you for participating.
