Legislation, publications and forms
This page provides information about the following topics related to ballast water:
Legislation
Waste Management Policy (Ships' Ballast Water)
Victoria's domestic ballast water management arrangements are outlined in the Waste Management Policy (Ships' Ballast Water), that entered into force on 1 July 2004. This policy is a statutory document made under the Environment Protection Act 1970 and forms part of Victoria's legal system. The key purpose of the policy is to protect Victoria's marine environments from marine pests introduced via domestic ballast water. The Victorian arrangements that were established by the policy (and are administered by EPA) complement regulations administered by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) for international ballast water.
Under the policy, high risk domestic ballast water, regardless of its source, must not be discharged into Victorian waters.
The Policy Impact Assessment (Adobe PDF file, 441KB) explains the policy initiative, including an assessment of the costs and benefits.
Environment Protection (Ships' Ballast Water) Regulations 2006
To support the existing ballast water requirements, the Victorian Government introduced the Environment Protection (Ships' Ballast Water) Regulations 2006, that entered into force on 1 July 2006. The regulations specify:
- ballast water reporting requirements for owners and masters of ships with capacity to carry ballast water
- offences for ship owners and masters for not meeting reporting and/or paying prescribed fees
- a cost recovery fee structure for administering the ballast water management system and its implementation by EPA.
The objectives of the regulations are to support the implementation of the Waste Management Policy (Ships' Ballast Water) by prescribing the:
- administrative requirements and services necessary to protect the beneficial uses of Victorian State waters
- fees for ships visiting a port in Victoria to recover the costs associated with delivering these services.
The reporting requirements are not new requirements – they are currently in place as part of an existing waste management policy – and are being introduced into regulation to clarify existing practices.
Consultation
The regulations were developed after extensive consultation with a broad range of stakeholders. This included the development of draft regulations and a regulatory impact statement (RIS) that were made available for public comment in February 2006. Stakeholders were invited to make submissions on the proposed regulations and RIS. The regulations incorporate comments received during the consultation stage.
Revised Protocol for Environment Management (PEM)
The Protocol for Environment Management (PEM), an incorporated document that outlines the Victorian ballast water requirements for ship owners and masters, has been amended to make it consistent with the regulations. The revised PEM (Adobe PDF file, 295KB) also incorporates feedback from industry since implementation of the ballast water requirements in Victoria.
Queries can also be directed to:
The Project Manager
Environment Protection (Ships' Ballast Water)Regulations 2006
EPA Victoria
GPO Box 4395QQ
Melbourne VIC 3001
Send an email
Publications
- EPA Publication 1026 – Policy Impact Assessment – Protecting the Victorian Marine Environment from Marine Pests (Adobe PDF file, 441KB).
- EPA Publication 739 – EPA Guidelines for the Preparation of Environment Improvement Plans (Adobe PDF file, 561KB)
- EPA Publication 995.1 – Waste Management Policy (Ships Ballast Water) Domestic Ballast Water Accreditation Agreements – Guidelines for Applicants (Adobe PDF file, 241KB)
Forms
All the ballast water log and reporting forms are available for download (as Adobe PDF files) from the Forms section of this website. For detailed information about each form, please check the obligations for ship owners and masters.