National Ballast Information Clearinghouse

You are here: Home

Welcome to the National Ballast Information Clearinghouse

The National Ballast Information Clearinghouse (NBIC) is a joint program of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and the United States Coast Guard that collects, analyzes, and interprets data on the ballast water management practices of commercial ships operating in the waters of the United States. The principle aims of NBIC are to quantify the amounts and origins of ballast water discharged in US coastal systems and to determine the degree to which such water has undergone open-ocean exchange or alternative treatments designed to reduce the likelihood of ballast mediated invasions by exotic species. NBIC was established in 1997 at the direction of the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 (NISA). Ballast water data are available for download from our online database.

NOTE: The NBIC has no authority over vessel ballast operations.  The electronic submission of ballast water reporting forms to the NBIC may result in the submitter receiving an electronic confirmation of a successful reporting form submission, however, this notice of receipt is not an approval to conduct ballasting operations nor required to conduct ballasting operations.  All vessel masters, owners, operators, agents or persons in charge are reminded that they are required to conduct ballast water operations in accordance with the applicable sections of 33 CFR 151 regardless of whether they have received confirmation of a successful reporting form submission.

For ballast report-related questions contact NBIC: nbic@ballastreport.org

For questions regarding BW management, please contact the USCG Ballast Water Management Program.