Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia to boost co-operation along the Straits

Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to boost cooperation on Marine Electronic Highway (MEH) through the Tripartite Technical Experts Group and Co-operative Mechanism at the 5th Co-operation Forum held in the Lion City.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) Co-operation Forum this week was attended by 150 delegates from 32 countries and 14 organisations.

The Co-operation Forum is one of the three pillars under the Co-operative Mechanism on Safety of Navigation and Environmental Protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. It is the main avenue for user states, the shipping industry and other stakeholders to meet and exchange views with the littoral states on issues of common interests in the Straits.

It also facilitates concrete and practical co-operation between the littoral states of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, and user states, shipping industry and other stakeholders in the maintenance of safety of navigation and environmental protection in the Straits.

The three littoral states at the forum signed Letters of Acknowledgement to co-operate to achieve institutional sustainability of the Marine Electronic Highway (MEH) through the Tripartite Technical Experts Group and Co-operative Mechanism.

Lam Yi Young, chief executive of MPA, who represented Singapore in the signing ceremony said, "The incorporation of the Marine Electronic Highway under the Co-operation Mechanism signifies the strong co-operation between the three littoral states and the desire to continue working closely with one another, and user states and stakeholders, to further advance and scale-up the MEH under the Co-operative Mechanism."