The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) is an independent, not-for-profit association focused on global trade.

PMSA News

12/16/11 - Occupied Ports

12/4/11 - Viewpoints: Here Comes Our Stuff...But How It Gets To The Dock And Beyond Should Concern Californians

10/3/11 - Government Officials Put Pressure on Congress to Release Funds for Port Maintenance

9/30/11 - Newsom, Shipping Officials Urge Release of Federal Trust Fund Money

8/1/11 - Port of Long Beach Cuts Diesel Pollution More than 70%

7/23/11 - Port of Oakland Vitally Important to Economic Recovery

6/14/11 - California Bill Highlights Handsome Pay of Ship Pilots

The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) is an independent, not-for-profit association focused on global trade.

PMSA's Blog Corner

The Enemy of Good

By John Berge

Pacific Maritime Magazine

August 26, 2011

It has been 15 years since the publication of the National Research Council’s Stemming the Tide – Controlling Introductions of Nonindigenous Species by Ship’s Ballast Water. It pulled the lid off the uncomfortable reality that ballast water, which is so essential to keeping ships upright and in one piece, could also be the source of bio-invaders causing havoc in port ecosystems around the planet.

A lot has changed in those 15 years, beginning with the adoption of ballast water management for virtually all vessels, and now the next leap forward with installation of ballast water treatment systems. This technology has made enormous strides in just the last few years, achieving organism reductions on the order of 10,000 times the source ballast water. While we now have a good idea of the capabilities of ballast water treatment, just as importantly we better understand the limitations of this technology, and our ability to measure success.


Click here to read the full blog.

Welcome to PMSA

The Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) is an independent, not-for-profit association focused on global trade. PMSA operates offices in San Francisco, Long Beach and Seattle, and represents owners and operators of marine terminals and U.S. and foreign vessels operating throughout the world.

On behalf of its members, PMSA engages in community affairs and legislative and regulatory affairs in California and Washington state.  PMSA provides members with information services, including regular updates on matters of interest to the shipping industry.  It also serves as a clearinghouse for environmental practices across the industry.

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