Elfian serves as the Regional Manager for Southeast Asia, India, and Japan, where he oversees INTERTANKO’s regional activities and membership while managing the Association’s Asia office. In this capacity, he acts as the Secretary of the Asian Regional Panel and maintains close liaison with governments, maritime administrations, and enforcement agencies to address industry impacts and maritime security concerns.

In his role as the Environment Manager, Elfian is part of the secretariat team that supports INTERTANKO’s Environmental Committee, focusing on issues related to water emissions. Additionally, he supports the INTERTANKO’s Bunker Sub-Committee.

Elfian joined INTERTANKO in 2018 after a decade with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Graduated with a Degree in Mechanical Engineering (Marine Technology) from the University Technology of Malaysia (UTM) in 1998 and earned a Master’s Degree in Maritime Affairs, specializing in Maritime Safety and Environmental Protection (MSEP), from the World Maritime University (WMU) in 2006.

Joined the department in 1999 and held various roles and responsibilities, including Ship Surveyor, Port State Control Officer, Assistant Ship Registrar, ISM & ISPS Auditor, and Incident Response Manager for oil spill incidents.

During his tenure as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in marine environmental protection, he was directly and indirectly involved in several oil spill incidents in Malaysia between 2014 until 2021. In these roles, he worked closely with multiple stakeholders to coordinate response and clean-up activities, while also handling claims and compensation against polluters.

From 2021 to 2024, he served as Malaysia’s Maritime Attaché and Alternate Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), representing Malaysia’s interests in international maritime safety and environmental governance. In particular, he contributed to maintaining Malaysia’s position as an IMO Council Member for two consecutive terms – 2021 to 2023 and 2023 to 2025.

Upon completion of his three-year term, he now assumes the role of Director of Safety of Navigation and Maritime Communication Division (Policy & Planning), where he leads strategic initiatives to enhance maritime safety, strengthen communication systems, and advance regulatory frameworks. His responsibilities extend to chairing and contributing to several high-level task forces, including:

• Malaysia Marine Department Maritime Cyber Security Framework — spearheading the development of a comprehensive framework to safeguard the Department’s digital infrastructure against emerging cyber threats;
• Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships — guiding policy and planning efforts to prepare Malaysia for the integration of autonomous shipping technologies; and
• Malaysia Maritime Law Revision and Reform Committee (MLRRC) — serving as a member to ensure national maritime legislation remains robust, relevant, and aligned with international standards.

Through these roles, he is driving forward Malaysia’s maritime agenda, positioning the nation to meet evolving challenges while embracing innovation and global best practices.

His past contributions also include serving as a member of Malaysia’s delegation to the International Oil Pollution Compensation (IOPC) Fund Meetings, IMO Meetings (Pollution Prevention Response Sub-Committee and Working Group on the Marine Environment Protection Sub-Committee), and the ASEAN Maritime Transport Working Group (MTWG) Meetings.

He has held several leadership roles, such as:

• Chairperson of the Joint Planning Team of the Malaysia–Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment (MSJCE) in the Straits of Johore, focusing on marine pollution activities including oil and chemical spill response.
• Chairperson of the Marine Environment Protection Technical Working Group under the Tripartite Technical Experts Group (TTEG) Meetings in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
• Coordinator of Project 2 – Cooperation and Capacity Building on Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) Preparedness and Response in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
• Member of the Revolving Fund Committee (RFC) in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore; and
• Active members in the Cooperative Mechanism on Safety and Environmental Protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore since its establishment in 2007 to date.

He was also part of Malaysia’s delegation during the establishment of the Cooperative Mechanism between the Littoral States and User States on Safety of Navigation and Environmental Protection in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore in 2007. In addition, he played a key role as Malaysia’s expert in the development of the ASEAN Regional Oil Spill Contingency Plan, which was formally adopted at the 24th ASEAN Transport Ministers’ Meeting in November 2018.

Naim Majdi bin Sulaiman is a government official currently serving as Principal Assistant Secretary in the West Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia (Wisma Putra). Since joining the Division in April 2025, he has been responsible for Malaysia’s bilateral relations with Iran, Palestine, Syria and Jordan, covering political and diplomatic engagement, policy coordination, regional developments and issues of strategic importance to Malaysia.

His portfolio places particular focus on Malaysia–Iran relations, including political consultations, economic and trade cooperation, emerging areas of strategic partnership, and coordination on regional security developments. He has been closely involved in Malaysia’s engagement with Iran amid the evolving regional security environment, including issues surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, maritime security, freedom of navigation and the protection of Malaysian-linked commercial interests. His work also encompasses Malaysia’s efforts to maintain constructive diplomatic engagement with Iran while advancing Malaysia’s principled and balanced foreign policy.

On Palestine, Naim works on Malaysia’s diplomatic and humanitarian engagement in support of the Palestinian people. His responsibilities include policy coordination on the situation in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction-related initiatives, as well as engagement with Malaysian stakeholders involved in humanitarian support. He is also involved in following developments concerning international efforts on Palestinian statehood, accountability and reconstruction, including Malaysia’s engagement in relevant multilateral platforms.

His portfolio also covers Syria and Jordan, including bilateral relations, political developments and their wider implications for regional stability. His work on Syria includes monitoring the evolving political and security situation and issues relating to Malaysia’s diplomatic presence, while engagement with Jordan encompasses bilateral cooperation and Jordan’s important role in regional diplomacy and humanitarian efforts, particularly in relation to Palestine.

Prior to joining Wisma Putra, Naim accumulated over 20 years of experience in the Malaysian civil service, having served across several key ministries and agencies, including the Department of Higher Education Malaysia, Public Service Department (JPA), Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and Ministry of Home Affairs. He holds a Bachelor of Manufacturing Engineering (Hons.) from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) and an International MBA from NEOMA Business School, Paris.

Beyond his professional work, Naim maintains an active interest in travel, adventure and outdoor pursuits, particularly scuba diving, hiking and mountain biking. He also has a keen interest in photography.

Matthew Rajendra is a senior reporter based in Singapore, covering developments across multiple maritime sectors, but his focus is on tanker, dry cargo, bunkers and gas segments in Asia-Pacific. He has been closely tracking developments in India’s maritime sector, bunker markets, issues on the Red Sea and, more recently, the chaos in the Strait of Hormuz.

Matthew joined Lloyd’s List from Argus Media where he worked as a senior reporter covering South Asia and the Middle East polymer markets, before taking on the role of business development manager, Chemicals, Asia and Middle East.

Before graduating with a degree in economics from Singapore Management University, Matthew combined his studies with interning and freelancing as a producer at business news network CNBC.

Astrid Crowley is the UK Government’s Cyber Attaché to Southeast Asia, based at the British High Commission in Singapore.

Astrid leads on the UK’s cyber partnerships in the region, both bilaterally and with ASEAN, supporting the UK’s ASEAN Dialogue Partnership. Her work with partners in Southeast Asia spans across cyber governance, resilience, threat assessment and capacity building.

Prior to this posting, Astrid was in the UK’s Cabinet Office and Home Office, where she supported Ministers and the UK National Security Adviser on cyber, national resilience, counter terrorism and other national security portfolios. She also brings experience working in Southeast Asia from government, and from time in the private sector in energy shipping.

Taylor Wamberg is the Regional Advisory Lead for Singapore and Southeast Asia at Lloyd’s Register, with more than 14 years of experience spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Blending technical depth with commercial insight, he brings a practical, forward-looking perspective to the evolving maritime sector.

Taylor specialises in maritime regulation, ship technology, and emerging energy carriers, leading LR’s Advisory work across Singapore, Southeast Asia, and Australasia. He partners closely with shipowners, charterers, ports, and financiers to navigate regulatory change, address decarbonisation challenges, and unlock strategic opportunities in the maritime energy transition.

Known for his cross-functional expertise and steady, solutions-focused approach, Taylor is a trusted advisor to organisations navigating change — helping them move from uncertainty to clarity, and from compliance to competitive advantage in a rapidly shifting global landscape.