O Porto do Rio de Janeiro sob o enfoque da água de lastro

Abstract

The transference of non indigenous species in fresh, estuarine and saltwater ecosystems around the world is part of the reality. Although different mechanisms of transference are recognized, varying in space and time, ballast water global movement is the most important one. The aim of this study is to characterize Rio de Janeiro Port according to ballast water discharges. This assessment was done from two methods: the Ballast Water Reporting Forms (BWRF) and ballast water estimates from port recorders , a system developed to GloBallast Program (GloBallast method), aiming to calculate and estimate ballast water discharges upon reporting forms information or upon shipping information. Another estimating formula, proposed recently in national scientific literature, was used as well. Besides discharges information, others surveys were done, as well as frequent navigation rotes, the compliance with mid-oceanic ballast water exchanged or any ballast water treatment on board. A survey of Guanabara bay environmental conditions was proceeded, once Rio de Janeiro Port is situated in the west coast of this bay, in this assessment, non indigenous species registered in Rio de Janeiro coast, specially in Guanabara Bay were listed. The first conclusion that is possible to take, when comparing this study and former ones, is that BWRF information, in terms of quality, are better, despite the fact that the number of it still low. In terms of ballast water exchange, it was found out that it was true for all ships which came from international ports, as well as in some situations that ships weren t forced to do it, as in domestic navigation, when mid water exchange is not mandatory, with few exceptions. Total discharged observed were: around 870.000 m3, almost 2 millions m3 and 4 millions m3, in the first case the result was obtained from reporting forms and the two others were estimated from GloBallast method, without and with ships which operated in private terminals (all ships). Results were, in general terms, coherent, when comparing the first method with the second one with all ships, although volumes obtained are quite different.Results obtained from brazilian estimating formula were intermediated, around 3 millions for deballast considering all ships and 1.650.000 t for ballast. The information of this study can be used as a basis for the ballast water plan of Rio de Janeiro Port, an important tool to be developed and to be used with ship s ballast water plan, mandatory in Brazil, in order to avoid non indigenous species introduction.