The next RITM Economics Seminar will be held on Thursday, January 16th from 12h15 to 13h15, in room Gaudemet (Sceaux).
Abstract: International trade and the displacement of ballast water from ships play a major role in the global spread of invasive marine species worldwide (Hulme, 2009). This paper explores how implementing a stringent ballast water management policy in the United States might influence ships’ behavior, particularly concerning the localization of ballast water discharges and the technological adoption of ballast treatment systems. We aim to test the ballast pollution haven effect. To achieve this, we use daily data on the ballast water discharge locations and volumes of ships coming to the USA between 2006 and 2021. We further track these ships using a worldwide port-to-port ship movement database. Our findings suggest that the US policy generated two significant effects: a 7.5% increase in ballast water discharges in neighboring countries, particularly those with lower environmental standards, and a redistribution of ships equipped with ballast treatment technologies to regions with stricter regulations. These results shed light on the behavioral adaptations of ships and contribute to the discussion on the global effects of ballast water management regulations at the international level.
Link to the RITM Economics seminar web page