LANGKAWI, May 23 ― Malaysia strongly supports the target to cut carbon intensity in international shipping by 40 per cent in 2030 and 70 per cent by 2050.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said it is in line with Malaysia’s commitment to ensure the maritime industry is heading towards long-term environmental sustainability.

"For instance, Malaysia is at the forefront of some of these international initiatives through its active role in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)-Norway GreenVoyage2050 and IMO-Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) Blue Solutions projects aimed at reducing maritime transport emissions.”

The minister said this in his keynote address during the International Maritime Conference themed Resilient Maritime Southeast Asia: Safe Secure and Sustainable Ocean held in conjunction with the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023 (LIMA '23) at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre here today.

He said although shipping is considered the most energy-efficient mode of transport, it is still responsible for an estimated three per cent of global emissions.

Loke said Malaysia noted the report by the IMO that global shipping is ever increasing and shipping emission is estimated to surge to 130 per cent by 2050.

In fact, he said the IMO’s work on developing a non-mandatory Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS) code to support the functional and operational gaps is laudable.

"In this respect, Malaysia supports IMO’s role in taking the lead to address the rapid technological advancement in the development of autonomous commercial ships,” he said. ― Bernama