KUCHING – Sarawak launched its inaugural Sarawak Maritime Day 2025 (SMARD 2025) on September 18, 2025, aligning with the International Maritime Organization’s World Maritime Day theme “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity.”
The event underscores the state’s strategic push to become a regional maritime hub by modernizing infrastructure, enhancing governance, and investing in human capital.
Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin emphasized Sarawak’s inherent maritime advantages, including a 750-kilometre coastline and extensive river networks, which serve as critical arteries for trade and connectivity.
The event honoured seafarers, port workers, and shipbuilders while outlining plans to integrate innovation and sustainability into the sector. Key initiatives include:
- Modernizing navigation systems with AI-powered buoys, electronic charts, and GPS technologies while preserving traditional aids like lighthouses.
- Revising the Sarawak Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1960 to incorporate green energy and digitalization standards, with a special committee tasked to complete the review within two years.
- Addressing seafarer shortages through scholarships, including RM1.02 million awarded to 23 Sarawakians and 21 Sabahans for maritime training.
The maritime sector is pivotal to Sarawak’s economy, which recorded RM198.7 billion in total trade in 2024 (2.7% growth year-on-year). The state ranks as Malaysia’s fourth-largest GDP contributor, driven by exports and port activities.
Upcoming events like the Borneo International Maritime Week (October 28–30, 2025, in Bintulu) will further promote regional collaboration, featuring port tours, conferences, and exhibitions with participants from ASEAN and beyond.
