Kuala Lumpur - The Japanese government on Monday pledged a grant of 29.9 million ringgit (8.1 million dollars) to boost Malaysia's maritime security efforts in the Malacca Strait.

"Safety and security in the strait is a high priority not only to Malaysia but also for international users like Japan," said Japanese Ambassador Masahiko Horie during a signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.

About 21.8 million ringgit of the grant would be allocated to Malaysian Customs while 8.1 million ringgit would be channeled to the Malaysian police force, the official Bernama news agency said.

Horie said about 14,000 Japanese vessels rely on the straits each year and 80 per cent of Japan's oil imports from the Middle East pass through the channel.

The Malacca Strait is jointly shared and secured by Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.

Every year, more than 50,000 ships ply the route, which is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

After increased cooperation among the three nations in recent years, piracy - once a rampant activity in the straits - has been drastically reduced.

According to the London-based International Maritime Bureau, there were two reported acts of piracy in the Straits in 2008, down from seven in 2007. (dpa)