Malaysian Marine Industry To Grow Further Despite Challenging Market

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | March 23, 2010 by D-8 Secretariat

D-8 has a strong potential in fishery sector. However, fish farming is facing technical and technological challenges, and that could be surmounted via mutual cooperation among the member countries.

Malaysia’s marine industry is projected to continue registering significant growth in the coming years, despite a challenging market environment following the emergence of new competitors, both regionally and globally.

Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said to tackle these challenges,all parties need to work closely together for its betterment and development.

“It is important for Malaysian companies to be fully aware of the challenges and maximise opportunities, financial facilities, and incentives offered by the government.

“They need to also be more aggresive and proactive to ensure competitiveness,” added Mukhriz. He said this in his speech at the National Marine Industries Forum 2010 here today.

Mukhriz highlighted that industry players also need to keep abreast of global developments, characterised by the adopton of best practices in manufacturing and technological advancements.

At a press conference later, he said the private sector should play a major role in the development of the industry, by focusing on a few niche markets that they can do extremely well in.

“It’s a heavy industry and very wide. You could actually pick up a few niche markets to focus on as the pie is big enough for everyone to share.

“Perhaps, we could do it by looking at certain niche markets to excel it, rather than compete with other countries, already strong in their respective areas,” he explained.

With 10 major ports having been established in the country, Mukhriz said there is room for industry players to grow, by optimising usage.

In 2008, he said container traffic at these major ports recorded 15.17 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).

“Based on the port capacity, we still have under-utilised or unutilised space. It’s good, as there is a room for us to grow the industry,” he noted.

The industry, he said also need to address human capital issues by providing more graduates, qualified and skilled, in the required disciplines within it.

“Other than technology problems, we also have issues with skilled labour, including a lack of engineers. There are still a lot of areas to be addressed within the industry and this forum is being held to re-visit where we are,” he said.

The one-day forum was organised jointly by the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology, Association of Marine Industries of Malaysia, Maritime Institute of Malaysia, Malaysian Joint Branch of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology to discuss issues and challenges faced by the industry.

It atracted more than 200 foreign and local participants, who gave their opinions and input into moving forward the industry.

Malaysia is currrently ranked 18th among the 35 most important maritime countries and territories.

D-8 has a strong potential in fishery sector. However, fish farming is facing technical and technological challenges that could be surmounted via mutual cooperation among the member countries. The D8 countries have the technical and technological potentials that are required for the development of this sector. Cooperation could include exchange of experience in freshwater or marine fish farming.

The data of fish production of D-8 countries can be summarized in the following table:

D-8 is scheduled to hold the D-8 Working Group on Marine Affairs and Fisheries in Cairo, Egypt, on 6-8 April 2010. Related documents concerning the administrative arrangements, agenda programs, and other files can be downloaded in the Member Download Area of this website. Please kindly contact your respective member country’s D-8 Representative if you need the credentials to log in.

News source: BERNAMA, D-8 Media.

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