KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 — The Transport Ministry will assume sole authority for approving bunkering licences and related permits starting February 1, 2027.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said that centralising these approvals will provide operators with a single point of accountability and ensure more consistent decisions regarding safety, fuel quality, and environmental protection.

“I consider this as one of the major achievements by MOT because I have been minister of transport for a number of years.

“When we always talk about bunkering, we know that one of the key challenges and problems are the red tapes where a simple permit needs approval from multiple agencies and ministries.

“So we have got many cabinet approvals to ensure that all the processes are streamlined and we only need to go through one single agency under the Ministry of Transport. This will help to boost our bunkering sector, hopefully,” Loke said while officiating Malaysia Maritime Week 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

This reform is part of a broader strategy to build a competitive bunkering sector capable of meeting modern shipping demands and preparing Malaysia for the transition to cleaner marine fuels.

Loke also revealed that the ministry is partnering with Australia to develop a policy and legal framework for green bunkering, focusing on fuels such as LNG, biofuels, and methanol.

“This work also supports a wider international commitment. In the International Maritime Organisation's 2023 Greenhouse Gas Strategy calls for zero or near-zero emission fuels and technologies to account for at least 5 per cent of the energy use by international shipping by 2030, with a target of 10 per cent.

“Malaysia intends to be ready to support ships as that transition gathers pace,” he said.