Bioinvasão Marinha: Riscos Ecológicos e Implicações para a Segurança Marítima

Ballast water is essential for the stabilization of ships, ensuring the safety of the vessel,cargo and crew. This practice is crucial for controlling the ship’s draft, keeping the vesselupright and preventing it from listing. Despite its importance for navigation, ballast water isthe main cause of marine bioinvasion. When ships carry ballast water, aquatic organismsare moved from their local communities to new ecosystems, which can result in theintroduction of exotic species that threaten local biodiversity. The global maritime sectortransports a variety of species in its ballast water every day, and this introduction can causeecological imbalances, negatively affecting coastal economic activities. In addition, ballastwater can contain pathogens, posing risks to public health. Awareness of the impacts onmarine ecosystems is essential, as is the development of biocide-free antifouling researchand the implementation of ballast water treatment systems