ballast

Their strong values-based cultures, deep commitment to their communities, and longer-term investment horizons, act like ballasts on a ship — working together to absorb shocks and navigate through treacherous waters.

The people who work in governmental institutions — and therefore the institutions themselves—are rather like the ballast that keeps a ship upright and balanced in different weathers.

The species has colonized new regions when transported on ships’ hulls or in ballast water that is drained in ports.

In each country where the mussels have taken over, the initial introduction also appeared to be from ships — on the hulls or from ballast water release.

The savings would be delivered through lower design speeds, ballasted track, UK rather than European standard cross-sections and building on the existing rail network.