Ballastwater & Environmental Manufacturers Association (BEMA)

The purpose of BEMA is to provide manufacturers and industry stakeholders in the ballast water equipment market leadership and a unified voice at the International Maritime Organization, the United States Coast Guard, the US EPA and other regulatory bodies, as well as with the general public. This organization is needed to provide design and operational expertise, as well as balance to the numerous perspectives from regulators, ship owner organizations, scientific testing networks, and environmental organizations that influence the requirements or stipulations that directly impact the manufacturers as stakeholders in the ballast water treatment community. BEMA will apply for Non-Governmental Organization (“NGO”) consultative status at the IMO and will represent (e.g. meeting attendance, articles and OpEd pieces) the industry to advance the knowledge about the design, manufacture, installation, maintenance, and long-term functionality of ballast water treatment systems. BEMA will represent all types of manufacturers and will provide impartial, non-commercial guidance to the ship owning, ship regulating, and environmental protection communities to support our members efforts to meet this global demand. BEMA will also provide equipment manufacturers a forum to collaborate and pool resources to address the various existing and emerging challenges of ballast water treatment and enforcement of the standards in a non-competitive environment.