8.1 The appointed Lead Agency should develop procedures
in the Emergency Response Plan for the immediate notification of all
stakeholders of any emergency status, or change in that status, in
areas under the jurisdiction of the Party. These include mariners,
ports, ship agents, local authorities and the International Maritime
Organization (the Organization). The notification should identify
the area to which the emergency status applies (delimiting the area
in terms of latitude and longitude) as well as the cause of the emergency
status.
8.2 Ships carrying ballast water away from a declared
emergency status area should also be notified. Such notification should
be done through the ship's flag State and should include the ship's
name, IMO number, call sign, flag and position (in terms of latitude
and longitude at the moment of such notification), origin, destination
and route. Any relevant port States should also be notified with the
estimated time of arrival of the ship in question. Such vessels may
be considered of high risk and be subjected to a risk assessment (in
accordance with the Guidelines for risk assessment under regulation A-4 of the BWM Convention (G7)).
They also may have any exemptions granted under regulation A-4 withdrawn and be subject
to additional ballast water management procedures.
8.3 Each State should also notify the Organization
about critical areas where uptake and discharge of ballast water is
prohibited, presenting their geographical limits, also indicating
the motives for such decision, as well as whether the prohibition
is temporary or permanent.
8.4 It is recommended that standard format for
such notification is developed and, as appropriate, be included in
the Emergency Response Plan.