The strategic location of Malaysia along the world's busiest trade waterways underscores the need to cope ballast water issues for both domestic and international shipping. The adoption of Ballast Water Management Convention 2004 (BWMC) by the International Maritime Organization is suitable for management plans intended to prevent the introduction of invasive species through ballast water discharge. Malaysia has ratified the BWMC in September 2010 and the Convention has come into force in September 2017. However up to now, the BWMC has not been fully implemented by Malaysia for ships operating in its waters. This paper analyse the headway in implementing the provisions of the BWMC in Malaysia as well as the issues and challenges encountered for the implementation. The paper concludes that Malaysian government should promulgate laws and policies to clearly communicate on ballast water issues to the shipping industry communities.
The coronavirus disease 2019 or Covid-19 pandemic has affected many operations worldwide. This predicament also owes to the lockdown measures imposed by the affected countries. The total lockdown or partial lockdown devised by countries all over the world meant that most economic activities, be put on hold until the outbreak is contained. The decisions made by authorities of each affected country differs according to various factors, including the country's financial stability. This paper reviews the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on maritime sectors, specifically shipping, fisheries, maritime tourism, and oil and gas sector. The period of this study covers economic activities between the month of January towards the end of July 2020. Also discussed in this journal, is the analysis of the potential post-outbreak situation and the economic stimulus package. This paper serves as a reference for future research on this topic.