Ships at the Port of Santos will face remote monitoring that could prohibit docking

The regulation aims to prevent the dumping of toxic materials and exotic marine species from other continents into the region (Alexsander Ferraz/ AT)

The Port Authority of Santos (APS) will implement a remote monitoring system to verify whether ships arriving at the Santos Dock have discharged their ballast water in the permitted areas or adopted the filtration system. Vessels will also need to present a certificate of compliance with international ballast water disposal regulations; otherwise, they will be prohibited from docking at the Port of Santos, according to APS. The measure will take effect on Wednesday (21st).

The Port Authority established this regulation to prevent the discharge of toxic materials and exotic marine species from other continents into the region (bioinvasion), which could cause environmental impacts.

APS has notified the Maritime Navigation Agencies Syndicate (Sindamar) about the enforcement of the regulation, and many shipowners are already presenting their certificates.

System The remote monitoring system uses artificial intelligence, GPS, and other technologies to determine if ships have discharged ballast water in the permitted areas or have adopted the filtration system. The procedures are determined by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and in accordance with Maritime Authority Regulation (Normam) 401/DPC from the Brazilian Navy.

The company accredited by APS, Balance Water Central (BWC), will verify compliance with the regulations based on information provided by the ship, such as geographical coordinates, among others. The system was previously tested by APS, according to the company’s director, Paulo Andrade.

Before this technology, ship inspections were conducted by sampling based on information provided by vessel captains. Now, all ships will be tracked to ensure more efficient control, reported the APS Operations Directorate, which involves professionals from the Environmental, Health, and Safety Superintendency (Sumas).

What it is Ballast water is collected in ports and estuaries worldwide and stored in inverse proportion to the amount of cargo, to stabilize the ship. The less cargo there is, the more ballast water is needed. It is essential for navigation safety, especially when ships are empty or lightly loaded. To keep the propeller blades submerged, a weight is used in tanks located in the holds. Once sufficiently loaded, the ship discards the ballast water.

"This triangulation of public data available in real time from ships, which leaves what are called electronic traces, will allow us to know before the ship arrives at the Port of Santos if both types of internationally approved solutions have been met", said APS President Anderson Pomini.

According to legislation, ships have two approved options: D1, which requires discharge in oceanic waters, or D2, which mandates the treatment of ballast water within the ship before discharge.

"In this way, we are taking an important practical step in defending the environment and global public health", Pomini said, recalling this commitment, which was part of the company's environmental agenda established in 2014.