Balancing the tensions between shipping and marine environmental protection in the straits of malacca and singapore: Have the straits reached an environmental tipping point?

Abstract

Having reputations as two of the world’s most critical straits for international shipping activities, the problem of vessel-source pollution has always been endemic in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. With the projected steady increase of navigational traffic through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore each year, this situation would eventually create more intricate situations for the littoral States of the Straits, namely Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore especially in maintaining the marine environment of the Straits from vessel-source pollution. Therefore, this article ventures into possible shipping control mechanisms available to the littoral States, namely measures provided by the IMO and any other potential unilateral measures that the littoral States could resort to. The potential legal and political effects arising out of the implementation of these proposed measures are also examined and deliberated.