7.1 The Committee should review the benchmarks
detailed in the application and, as appropriate, take them into account
when assessing equivalence to the level of protection for the environment,
human health, property or resources as provided for in regulations B-3.1 to B-3.5.
7.2 Other Methods designed to provide at least
an equivalent level of protection with respect to the prevention of
the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens via discharge
of ballast water should demonstrate by risk assessment, independently
validated physical and biological modelling, operational testing of
this modelling and full-scale operational testing, where applicable,
that the Other Method is capable of meeting a level of protection
at all times that is, at least equivalent to, or better than, the
applicable requirements contained in the BWM Convention.
7.3 Risk assessment is the logical process for
assigning the likelihood and consequences of specific events, such
as entry, establishment or spread of harmful aquatic organisms and
pathogens in situations where a direct comparison of application benchmarks
with the D-1 and D-2 standards is not possible.
7.4 In undertaking risk assessment to consider
and evaluate the equivalence of an Other Method with the existing
standards, the risk assessment principles outlined in the Guidelines
for risk assessment under regulation A-4 of
the BWM Convention (G7) should be carefully applied. The lack of full
scientific certainty should be carefully considered in the decision-making
process.