Langkawi, Kedah 29–30 June 2026 — The Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) was honoured to participate in the IMO–EU–ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE) Project National Roundtable on Ferry Safety 2026, held at Aloft Langkawi Pantai Tengah. SRB was represented by Mr. Leo Nanang, Asst. Controller (Riverine Safety).
The technical workshop was jointly organised by the Ministry of Transport Malaysia (MOTM) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Key stakeholders included the Malaysia Marine Department, Sabah Ports and Harbours Department, Ship Classification Malaysia, and industry players. The roundtable served as a strategic platform to strengthen cooperation on domestic and riverine ferry safety governance, with emphasis on improving operational safety, regulatory compliance, and enforcement.
During the Technical Session, SRB shared its experience in regulating riverine passenger vessel safety, where all passenger vessels are required to be registered with valid River Transport Permit (RTP) which specifies approved fares and operational routes, and enforces a “No Ticket, No Entry” policy, implementation of Departure Pass, and strict enforcement monitoring at terminals and jetties, supported by inter-agency coordination and river patrols, and the session highlighted key improvements moving forward which include real-time passenger tracking, implementation of an e-Departure Pass alongside improved digital integration and coordinated transformation.
The keynote and technical presentations covered the National Ferry Safety Analysis Report review, identified improvement options and recommendations, benchmarking analysis, the Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Act 2017 [A1551], development of domestic rules for un-classed vessels, and measures to enhance ferry and passenger vessel safety in Sarawak and Sabah, including Feri MADANI, financial feasibility and bankability assessments, and Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) integration in policy and regulation. These were presented by the appointed IMO consultant, Ship Classification Malaysia experts, government agencies, and operators, and were complemented by an interactive workshop on priority refinement, feasibility ranking, barrier identification, consensus building, and roadmap development for implementation.
The final segment of the session included a technical visit to Tanjung Lembung Ferry Terminal (Ro-Ro operations) and Kuah Ferry Terminal (passenger ferry operations) which providing practical observation of operational practices, safety management systems, passenger handling procedures, and supporting infrastructure for domestic ferry services.
The technical sessions concluded with consensus on a coordinated reform agenda covering governance harmonisation, digitalisation, safety enhancement, workforce development, and inclusive infrastructure.
