The behavior of ships governs the degree to which they accidentally transport invasive species around the globe. Because more than 90% of all goods moved internationally are carried on ships, global trade strongly influences marine invasive species introduction patterns. Shifts in voyage route are generally driven by changes in market pressures but can also be caused by changing inter-ocean corridors (e.g., expansion of Suez and Panama Canals, growing trans-Arctic shipping.) The NBIC tracks the number and type of ship arrivals to US ports or places. When combined with other ballast water reporting form information, such as levels of ballast water discharge, time of year, last port of call, and other factors, invasion opportunity and risk can be assessed. Additionally, invasive species can also be moved on the submerged undersides of ships as hull fouling, so amassing and analyzing shipping routes and arrivals is important for understanding this separate mode of ship-mediated invasion.
Below are some useful ways to analyze patterns of vessel arrivals throughout the waters of the United States based on Ballast Water Management Reports (BWM reports) submitted to the NBIC. You can interrogate the data by type of arrival (coastwise arrivals, overseas arrivals or the combined total) or by ship type over time, as well as by spatial level of interest: National, Coastal, or State level.
Note: All data available in graphs and tables extend through the last complete month and are refreshed monthly. Because ballast water management reports may be amended, corrected or changed during quality control processes, particularly within the 20 days from arrival date for the last complete month, this may result in updates that will register when the data are next refreshed. All data are subject to change and use of any of the NBIC data implies agreement with the NBIC Data Use Agreement policy. Cite our data.
Temporal Patterns of Arrivals
These figures present the number of overseas arrivals, the number of coastwise arrivals, and the total number of arrivals to US waters. Several observable patterns at the national scale are of particular importance.
- The seasonal dip in the number of BWM reports submitted for coastwise arrivals is due to the seasonal shutdown of shipping within the Great Lakes during the winter.
- There has been a modest increase in the number of coastwise arrivals monthly since reporting for coastwise arrivals became mandatory.
- The number of overseas arrivals has remained relatively stable since 2005. Note that the large spike in 2012 was the result of the NBIC's outreach effort to contact vessels that were potentially not submitting all BWM reports.
Coastal
Monthly Arrivals by Coastal Region
This interactive figure presents the total number of bona fide overseas arrivals (bottom in red) and coastwise arrivals (top in blue) for each month since 2005 by Coastal Region. Each month is labeled as the first day of the month. To tailor your query and figure, use the data filters located just below the chart. You can zoom and pan interactively in the figure or you can use the filter to select a specific time period. To select a date range in the chart, hold down the left mouse button and drag the arrow across the graph. To pan across the graph, hold down the 'shift' key while dragging the arrow across the graph. To filter using the data filter tool, select 'All Coasts' to view the national total; alternatively, you can select any Coastal Region to view temporal changes in arrivals for that coast. The figure and data can be exported using the 'Export Chart' menu in the upper right corner of the figure and your query results can be exported in tabular form using the table settings located below the data filters.
Arrivals: Coast
| Coast | Date | Coastwise | Overseas |
|---|
State
Monthly Arrivals by State
This figure presents presents the total number of bona fide overseas arrivals (bottom in red) and coastwise arrivals (top in blue) for each month since 2005 by US state. Each month is labeled as the first day of the month. To tailor your query and figure, use the data filters located just below the chart. You can zoom and pan interactively in the figure or you can use the filter to select a specific time period. To select a date range in the chart, hold down the left mouse button and drag the arrow across the graph. To pan across the graph, hold down the 'shift' key while dragging the arrow across the graph. To filter using the data filter tool, select 'All States' to view the national total; alternatively, you can select any state to view temporal changes in arrivals for that state. The figure and data can be exported using the 'Export Chart' menu in the upper right corner of the figure and your query results can be exported in tabular form using the table settings located below the data filters.
Arrivals: State
| State | Date | Coastwise | Overseas |
|---|
Temporal Patterns of Arrivals by Ship Type
There are many interesting patterns and changes to be found in the NBIC data set.
- Although bulkers and tankers are responsible for the vast majority of BW discharge since 2005, arrivals are much more evenly distributed among ship types.
- The seasonal dips in arrival number (total arrivals and coastwise arrivals) is due to the shutdown of shipping in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway during the winter.
Coastal
Temporal Patterns of Arrivals by Ship Type and Coastal Region
This interactive figure presents the total number of arrivals by ship type and coastal region for each month since 2005. Each month is labeled as the first day of the month. To tailor your query and figure, use the data filters located just below the chart. Select 'All Coasts' to view the national total; alternatively, you can select any coastal region to view temporal changes of arrivals for that coast. Filter by 'Transit type' (All, Overseas, or Coastwise) or click the interactive legend below the graph to filter by ship type. To select a date range in the chart, hold down the left mouse button and drag the arrow across the graph. To pan across the graph, hold down the 'shift' key while dragging the arrow across the graph. The figure and data can be exported using the 'Export Chart' menu in the upper right corner of the figure and your query results can be exported in tabular form using the table settings located below the data filters.
Arrivals by Ship Type: Coast
| Coast | Date | Transit Type | Bulker | Combo | Container | General Cargo | Other | Passenger | Reefer | RoRo | Tanker |
|---|
State
Temporal Patterns of Arrivals by Ship Type and State
This interactive figure presents the total number of arrivals by ship type and state for each month since 2005. Each month is labeled as the first day of the month. To tailor your query and figure, use the data filters located just below the chart. Select 'All States' to view the national total; alternatively, you can select any state to view temporal changes of arrivals for that state. Filter by 'Transit type' (All, Overseas, or Coastwise) or click the interactive legend below the graph to filter by ship type. To select a date range in the chart, hold down the left mouse button and drag the arrow across the graph. To pan across the graph, hold down the 'shift' key while dragging the arrow across the graph. The figure and data can be exported using the 'Export Chart' menu in the upper right corner of the figure and your query results can be exported in tabular form using the table settings located below the data filters.