This document provides requirements and recommendations to ballast water sampling teams or other concerned parties on the selection and use of sampling apparatus to collect and process ballast water discharge samples aboard a ship from sample ports installed in accordance with ISO 11711-1. It includes an overview of the sampling process, and a discussion on the design and maintenance of sample probes, the necessary sample flow rates, the sample collection devices that incorporate sample flow control to maintain representative sampling conditions, and the handling of samples for subsequent analyses.

This document primarily addresses the collection of ballast water discharge samples. However, it can also be applied to uptake samples with consideration of appropriate sample volumes given anticipated organism concentrations in ambient (as opposed to treated) waters.

NOTE       While this document is focused on installations aboard a ship, it can be used for land-based facilities.