Malaysia is examining plans to enhance its bunkering sector, so as to catch up with Singapore’s performance in the similar industry, according to the Malaysian Minister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
Mr. Loke stated that Malaysia has lost out in terms of bunkering, as vessels entering the ports and passing by the Straits of Malacca, need to refuel. However, he explained that in the majority of time, all of this bunkering activities, is taking place in Singapore, thus Malaysia loses out in terms of business to.
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Now, the Malaysian Government wants to establish a new ecosystem regarding supplies, regulations, and enforcement. In addition, the country will need to give confidence to the shipping lines that bunkering in Malaysia is safe as well as transparent.
Currently talks are underway, with the main problem being that Malaysia’s bunkering facilities are not big enough, and they have room for improvement. This the potential that the country wants to leverage, as every year a large number of vessels is sailing through the Straits of Malacca, increasing business opportunities.
As of now, Mr. Loke informed that there were initial meetings at the official level between the Ministry of Transport and with the Domestic Trade Ministry, while he will also meet with the Minister to finalise the details. The plan is to establish a comprehensive policy, regarding how to move its bunkering industry forward.
Finally, Malaysia will also explore initiatives like the use of mass flowmeters (MFM) on board bunker vessels.
