Foreign Cruise Ships Can Now Operate In M'sia Without Domestic Shipping License

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) -- Foreign cruise ships are allowed to operate from any port or place in Malaysia to another port or place in Malaysia without a Domestic Shipping License, announced the Transport Ministry today. The ministry said the move was aimed at promoting tourism which is one of the contributing sectors to the economic development of Malaysia. "Among the subsector in tourism that has great potential to be further promoted is cruise tourism. This is due to the availability of attractive tourism products in Malaysia." "The cruise services in Malaysia can stimulate the growth of other tourism related products," the ministry said in a statement here. This initiative, which came into effect March 15, however does not include the operation of "cruise to nowhere", it said. A cruise to nowhere refers to a cruise usually of short duration with no ports of call. --BERNAMA