Ship discharges threaten sea life

By Bina Venkataraman

Globe Correspondent / January 26, 2009

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Crisscrossing the seas on global trade routes, cargo ships suck up billions of tons of water to provide a steadying weight, and then dump that water back into the ocean when it's time to take on new cargo. Each year, ocean-faring vessels from overseas discharge enough of this ballast water in US waters to fill about 20,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. (Full article: 920 words)