Padmesh Prabhune –
As a part of the India-Malaysia Maritime Collaboration, the Indian Port Association (IPA) has signed an MoU with Penang Port Commission (SPPP) together with Kelang Port Authority (LPK), last week in a major development in Delhi.
The signing of the memorandum is being said as significant step in developing the India-Malaysia Maritime Collaboration further.
The MoU represents a pivotal step in strengthening regional maritime collaboration, promoting sustainable port development, and enhancing bilateral ties between India and Malaysia through structured and strategic port-to-port partnerships, while promoting collaboration in areas such as digitalization and best practices toward decarbonization, including energy transition to hydrogen and ammonia in the future.
The Malaysian delegation was welcomed by Shri T.K. Ramachandran, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways of India. Representing Malaysia was Dato’ Jana Santhiran Muniayan, Secretary General of Ministry of Transport Malaysia along with Dato Yeoh Soon Hin for Penang Port Commission (PPC).
The initiative is to establish an important partnership with India through the India-Malaysia Ports Alliance (IMPA). The signing ceremony was witnessed by Hon. Dato Jana Santhiran Muniayan, Secretary General, Ministry of Transport Malaysia, and Shri Sunil Paliwal, Chairman, India Ports Association.
The IMPA partnership is designed to further bilateral cooperation in several priority areas like Infrastructure development of ports, Reform in shipping policy, Sustainable management of the sea and Maritime technology exchange.
The project is likely to unleash high-potential opportunities in trade, promote the cruise industry, and enable training programs to enhance the skills of people in the maritime sector. However, the scope of this partnership is not limited to these benefits alone, as it will expand according to current needs to ensure future relevance.
The India Ports Association (IPA) represents 12 major ports in India, a key trade partner for Malaysia. In 2023, 10% (1.4 million TEUs) of Port Klang’s total throughput of 14.05 million TEUs originated from India.
-Marex Media