Ecological Risk Assessment Of Ballast Water

Global shipping moves roughly 80%of the world's commodities and is the fundamental to world trade.The ecological similar analysis between source and destination ports was suggested to be applied in BWRA.An unintended result of these shipping activities is the worldwide introduction of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens to new environment via ships' ballast water(BW).BW discharge represents a considerable threat to the ecological balance and the biodiversity of the seas. Successful invasions of non-indigenous species can result in unwanted ecological, economic and human health impacts.Non-indigenous species transported by ship ballast water has caused serious problems on marine ecosystems and economic development recently,which has drawn an extensive attention all over the world. Ballast water risk assessment(BWRA) is an effective mean to prevent invasion by ballast water discharged from vessels.In this thesis,a literature review on Risk Assessment of Ballast Water Discharged from Vessels was conducted all over the world.Ecological Risk Assessment model of Ballast Water Discharged from Vessels is introduced to identify the similar level between ports so as to achieve the risk result.The introduction of invasive species induced by BW is due to the species difference between source port and destination port. Therefore,risk based systems must be able to couple data bases that include the potential invasive species present in each port,port environmental characteristics, ecological characteristics,distribution spatially and seasonally.As the focal and the breakthrough point of this paper,this article has carried on the preliminary exploration to risk assessment theory and method system of ballast water discharged from vessels,has established the risk assessment theory system of ballast water,laid the foundation for the risk assessment theory of ballast water discharged from vessels.Firstly,a method of risk assessment of BW was suggested by using the comparison of ecological similarities between source and destination ports.Secondly,the risk assessment is composed of the seven factors that include environmental similar risk factor and ecological similar risk factor.Furthermore the index system of risk assessment used Order-summation method and fuzzy statistics method to compute the weight of all index.Thirdly,this paper combined with the research results which are described above, took Odessa Port in Black Sea and Dalian Port in the north-ease Pacific as an example to carry on concrete application.Obtain the assessment results of the risk of BW.And the assessment results agree basically with the assessment result in Globallast and the actual situation of the BW.Finally,set up the index system of risk assessment of BW and the risk assessment model of BW.This study has confirmed the theory and method of risk assessment of BW which this article studies has the feasibility and may be operational.For the assessment of BW takes precautions against the risk of BW.The risk assessment steps of BW were introduced and the risk assessment of BW system was proposed for the management of Maritime Safety Administration.