Southeast Asian Nations Move to Strengthen Domestic Ferry Safety Regulations
Maritime authorities from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand are working to strengthen domestic ferry safety regulations across Southeast Asia, with a regional initiative focusing on passenger protection, vessel safety standards, and improved maritime risk management. The initiative was discussed during a regional roundtable held in Bangkok on 28–29 October, bringing together maritime officials to address safety challenges in domestic passenger shipping.
Ferries are a critical part of Southeast Asia’s maritime transport infrastructure, connecting island communities and supporting access to jobs, healthcare, markets, and essential services. However, many domestic passenger vessels operate outside international maritime safety conventions, including the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). These include vessels below 500 gross tons, traditional craft, and smaller passenger boats, creating a need for safety frameworks tailored to their operational conditions.
The Bangkok meeting was organized under the European Union-funded SCOPE Ship Safety Project, implemented by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Discussions highlighted the IMO Model Regulations for Domestic Ferry Safety, which provide countries with a framework to strengthen national legislation and improve safety oversight without disrupting essential ferry services.
Regional Maritime Authorities Address Ferry Safety Challenges
Representatives from maritime transport ministries, port authorities, naval architecture institutions, and international technical organizations examined operational risks affecting domestic ferry services.
Among the major concerns were passenger overcrowding, inaccurate or unverified passenger manifests, exposure to extreme weather, and inadequate formal safety management practices. These challenges underline the importance of stronger regulatory oversight and improved operational procedures across domestic ferry networks.
Participants also explored the adaptation of IMO model regulations for vessels outside international conventions, the use of digital systems to improve passenger manifest accuracy, and better operational safety management. Other priorities included weather-related operating limits and incorporating gender equality and social inclusion into national ferry safety policies.
Mr. Masud Karim, Deputy Director of the IMO Maritime Safety Division, stressed that domestic ferry services are essential to regional connectivity and economic activity. He said the agreement reached in Bangkok provides a foundation for translating IMO Model Regulations into national legislation and establishing a sustainable maritime safety culture.
Thailand also reaffirmed its commitment to improving domestic passenger transport safety. Mr. Wiwat Chidcherdwong, Deputy Director-General of the Marine Department of Thailand, highlighted the importance of an inclusive, human-centred approach to public safety. He said Thailand was committed to incorporating the IMO Model Regulations and its Pattaya Model safety baseline into national practices.
EU Supports Unified ASEAN Ferry Safety Roadmap
The European Union reiterated its commitment to safe, sustainable, and inclusive regional connectivity through its Global Gateway strategy.
Through the SCOPE Ship Safety Project, the EU is supporting efforts to move beyond individual national assessments towards a unified ASEAN Implementation Roadmap. The proposed framework aims to improve passenger protection across the region, with particular attention to women, children, older people, and persons with disabilities.
Safety IMO Regulations and Digital Monitoring Crucial to Improving Ferry Safety
The regional initiative highlights a significant regulatory challenge in Southeast Asia’s domestic shipping sector: extending effective maritime safety oversight to smaller passenger vessels that fall outside established international conventions.
The adoption of IMO-based national regulations could help authorities establish clearer requirements for passenger capacity, vessel operations, and safety management. At the operational level, digital passenger manifests could improve accountability and provide more reliable information during emergencies, while weather-based operating limits could strengthen voyage planning and risk assessment.
A coordinated ASEAN Implementation Roadmap could also encourage greater consistency in domestic ferry safety standards across participating countries. Its effectiveness, however, will depend on national implementation, institutional coordination, and sustained monitoring of safety requirements.
The Bangkok discussions therefore mark an important step towards improving passenger vessel safety while supporting the regional transport networks on which Southeast Asian island and river communities depend.
