Kuala Lumpur:Malaysia needs to modernize its shipping laws to align with the strong performance and potential of the maritime sector, stated Tan Sri Nallini Pathmanathan.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the former Federal Court judge, who chairs the Malaysia Maritime Law Revision and Reform Committee under the Ministry of Transport, emphasized that the committee is actively working on updating Malaysia's shipping laws. This effort includes reviewing key legislation such as the Admiralty Act, the Bills of Lading Act, the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, and various Ports Acts.

Nallini explained that modernizing the legal framework is crucial for Malaysia to compete with leading shipping nations globally. The country's strong operational performance is evident in the recent rankings of Port Klang and the Port of Johor, which secured 10th and 11th places respectively in the Lloyd's List One Hundred Container Ports 2026.

She noted, "We could see from the awards today that for both Port Klang and Johor to be at number 10 and 11 means that on an operational level, we're doing extremely well." Modernizing the legal framework is essential for spurring economic growth, creating jobs, and increasing national income.

Earlier, Nallini received the Ministry of Transport Award for her contributions and expertise in maritime law. Additionally, Westports Holdings Bhd founder, the late Tan Sri Datuk Gnanalingam Gunanath, was posthumously honored with the Maritime Legacy Icon Award. Capt Dr Rajalingam Subramaniam, CEO of Fleet Management Limited, and Datuk Zahid Osman were also recognized with the Maritime Leadership Icon and the Maritime Innovation and Excellence Award, respectively.

Malaysia Maritime Week 2026, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) and running until October 2, aims to bolster Malaysia's position as a leading maritime nation and advance its aspirations to become a competitive maritime and logistics hub in the Asia-Pacific region.