The world’s largest ship register, Panama, has recommended to the country’s parliament that it should ratify the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) in addition to the Hong Kong Ship Recycling Convention. This has started the accession process for both the Ballast Water Management (BWM) and the Hong Kong Conventions.
If Panamanian parliament was to agree to ratify the Ballast Water Convention, Panama’s 20 per cent share of global tonnage will surpass the final tonnage requirement needed to knock the Convention’s entry into force.
It could be a few months before all parliamentary stages are completed and ratification be rubber stamped. However, once complete, and if the recent flurry of ratifications (Finland, Morocco and Indonesia) do not tip the required tonnage over the ratification requirements then this ratification by panama will definitely start the 12-month countdown to entry-into-force in just a few months’ time.
