Malaysian ports urged to cut emissions and pursue green bunkering

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook has called for faster emissions reductions at Malaysian ports, saying the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) net-zero requirement for 2050 covers both shipping and port operations.

Speaking in Iskandar Puteri on Oct 8 after a fleet launch at Wisma Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP), Loke said the shift to alternative marine fuels offered Malaysia an opportunity to develop green bunkering hubs. He identified methanol, liquefied natural gas and ammonia as fuels being considered by the international shipping industry.

Within ports, he said emissions reduction efforts should include prime movers, quay cranes and other machinery traditionally powered by diesel. He pointed to PTP’s move to electric prime movers as an example of how operators could reduce emissions.

Whether other ports adopt electric prime movers would depend on their operators, who would bear the investment cost, Loke said. He added that PTP was funding its own equipment, rather than the government.

Loke said he expected other operators to take similar measures to fulfil environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards and decarbonisation requirements. He warned that private companies risked weakening their competitiveness if they did not comply with ESG standards.