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Malacca Strait relevant to maritime trade: Malaysian envoy
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Pulau Satumu, where ships start turning into the Malacca Strait. (The Straits Times/File)
T
he Strait of Malacca will continue to be relevant and important for global maritime trade and the success of China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative.
The Prime Minister’s special envoy to China, Kong Cho Ha, said there had been a marked increase in engagements among maritime service industry players following the announcement of the initiative in 2013.
“With a dynamic Maritime Silk Road and vibrant trade activities, there is renewed interest in maritime facilities along the Strait of Malacca,” said Kong when delivering his keynote address at the 2nd Maritime Silk Road Port International Cooperation Forum at Ningbo, China, on Tuesday.
He said a memorandum of understanding between Malaysia and China was signed last November to establish a port alliance that would open doors to several sectors of the industry.
The alliance includes six Malaysian ports and 10 Chinese ports.
Kong said more engagements were needed to further spur the initiative, and this included expanding Malaysian ports.
“We view this as an opportunity for port operators, shipping lines, and logistics and construction companies to come together as a consortium to develop mega projects,” Kong added.
For the first half of 2016, Port Klang showed a growth of 12.2 percent compared with the same period in 2015, he said.
Kong said Malaysia, which is part of United Nation’s International Maritime Organization, was committed along with Indonesia and Singapore, to ensure a safe, secure, unobstructed and pollution-free navigation through the Strait of Malacca.
