An industry consultation seminar to discuss the implications of ratification and implementation of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) has been held in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam (8 October), hosted by the Viet Nam Maritime Administration (VINAMARINE). The meeting was attended by senior shipping industry representatives. Discussions centred on the various options available to meet the BWM standards, the benefits of international standards and the possibility of a regional cooperation arrangement, as allowed for under Article 13 of the BWM Convention. The seminar was organized by VINAMARINE under the framework of the IMO-Norad Project to assist east Asian countries to ratify and implement IMO’s environmental conventions. IMO’s Jose Matheickal delivered two technical lectures during the seminar.