As Turkey signs the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention 2004 it reaches 43 Contracting States representing around 32.54% of the world's merchant shipping tonnage.

When ships take in ballast water they also take in unwanted organisms and pathogens also called Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), as the ships travel to new destination the organisms are released back into the sea becoming invasive species. The Convention seeks to prevent, reduce and control this pollution.

When 35% of the global tonnage has signed the convention it will be put into effect 12 months after ratification.

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