The Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention aims to prevent ships from introducing harmful marine organisms into new environments. Effective since September 2017, it requires ships engaged in international traffic to manage ballast water according to approved management plans and maintain a Ballast Water Record Book documenting ballast operations, treatment, exchanges and related activities.

Port states are also responsible for checking compliance through documentation reviews, operational inspections and ballast water sampling. These requirements are particularly important for vulnerable regions such as the Caribbean, where marine ecosystems, fisheries and coastal economies face significant risks from invasive species.

The successful implementation of the Convention requires adequate facilities, inspections, testing and trained personnel, while balancing environmental protection with the practical challenges faced by developing states.