Eight countries discuss enhanced cooperation on Malacca Strait in Manado

Manado (ANTARA News) - Eight countries met on Tuesday in Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi, to discus cooperation in increasing shipping safety, security and marine environmental protection.

Entitled Pre-Project Coordination Committee Meeting, the gathering held at Sedona Hotel of Manado discuss steps to be taken following the Singapore meeting of September 4-6, 2007 which had set a cooperation mechanism between littoral states and countries using the Malacca Strait and stakeholders.

The eight countries participating in the tripartite technical experts group on shipping safety the Malacca Strait are Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore as littoral countries, and Australia, China, Japan, South Korea and the US the countries using the waterway.

Opened by sea transportation director general of the transportation ministry H Harijogi, the meeting was sponsored by three international maritime organizations, namely Nippon Foundation, Malacca Strait Council and Nippon Maritime Center.

Harijogi said earlier that three meetings had been held for which six projects were offered to the relevant countries using the Malacca strait and stakeholders.

The six projects proposed by Malaysia include salvage of sunken vessels from the sea bed, and protection of Malacca and Singapore straits from dangerous and hazardous contamination.

In addition, the use of automatic identification system for B class against non-convention vessels using the waterway, arrangement of waves, currents and air measurement system.

In the meantime, Indonesia proposed the change and maintenance of shipping traffic along the Malacca and Singapore Straits and change of support shipping facilities damaged by the tsunami.

North Sulawesi Governor Sarundajang in his written address read out by the provincial administration secretary Robby Mamuaya said the appointment of North Sulawesi as venue of the meeting was a big honor for the region.

"However, Manado is inseparable from Bitung seaport known with its standard depth for a hub port and maritime potentials with unique aspects," the governor said.