The police have increased patrols against possible maritime terrorism in the busy Malacca Straits, a highly strategic sea-lane that carries one-third of the world's trade and 80 percent of Japan's oil, a senior official said today.

"We have just intensified patrols to protect vessels and fishermen in the Malacca Straits," Muhamad Muda, marine police chief told AFP .

"We are on guard against possible terror attack by fast speed boats. We are monitoring all moving vessels, including those entering and berthing in Malaysian ports," he said.

Muhamad said police do not have any intelligence reports of maritime terrorism in Malaysian waters but "recent developments" in neighbouring Indonesia and the Philiipines had increased the need for such patrols.

The Malacca Straits, shared between Malaysia and Indonesia, is notorious for piracy.

Radical initiatives

Other areas where police have doubled security were in the waters of Borneo island near the southern Philippines, the marine police chief said.

Muhamad said that following the deadly Bali bomb blast in Indonesia, foreign tourists were making their way to Penang and the Langkawi in Kedah.

"We have increased our presence in the waters of both these islands. But we are confident they are safe," he said.

Malaysia recently urged Asian shipping lines not to compromise on security measures amid growing terrorist threats and said it would cooperate with the United States on container security.

In an effort to beat increasing piracy and terrorism on the high seas the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) recently proposed two radical initiatives: electric fences for ships and special protected channels for oil tankers.

The number of attacks on ships reported worldwide in the first nine months of this year was 271, up from 253 in the same period last year, the London-based organisation had said.

The IMB, which bases its Piracy Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur, said hijackings by organised crime syndicates were also up, from 15 to 20. AFP