Bacteriological analysis of ballast water and port area: case study in the Baltic Sea port

This study highlights the role of ballast water management in preventing the global spread of harmful organisms.The entry into force of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments has created new challenges for policy and environmental managers.To adapt the most effective prevention strategies and enhance biosafety in the context of ballast water management systems, there is an increasing need for rapid analytical tools to detect microbes and assess the efficacy of ballast water treatment systems.In this study, ballast water was sampled from vessels before and after treatment at the port of Klaipeda, situated on the Baltic Sea coast.Results showed high levels of coliforms and Escherichia coli in untreated ballast water, with reduced levels after treatment, although statistical differences were not significant.No toxigenic Vibrio cholerae was found, but prior studies confirm the presence of other pathogenic Vibrio spp.Findings highlight the importance of ballast water monitoring and the potential for rapid monitoring methods to enhance biosecurity.