The meeting also discussed possible activities towards implementing the ASEAN Regional Strategic Action Plan to minimise the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens in ship ballast water and sediments adopted by the 39th Senior Transport Officials’ Meeting (STOM). As the only ASEAN member state that has ratified the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention), Malaysia is working with the International Maritime Organisation/Norwegian Agency for Development (IMO/Norad) Project towards more effective implementation of the convention through the drafting of legislation. The Federation of ASEAN Shipowners’ Association (FASA) reiterated its concerns on the high costs expected in the implementation of the BWM Convention and requested for a strategy to exempt ships operating exclusively within ASEAN.