Energy shock warning – Asean pushes sea-lane freedom and clean power

Asean energy ministers have called for safe and open maritime routes, faster clean energy adoption and stronger regional power-grid links as the region braces for the impact of energy disruption caused by unrest in the Middle East.

The position was agreed at the Special ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting on the latest situation in the Middle East, held online on April 27, 2026. The meeting was chaired by Sharon S. Garin, Secretary of the Department of Energy of the Republic of the Philippines, and attended by Asean energy ministers and representatives.

Senior officials from the Asean Secretariat, the ASEAN Centre for Energy, the ASEAN Council on Petroleum and Energy, or ASCOPE, and other regional energy agencies also joined the meeting.

Ministers exchanged views on national preparedness, emergency measures and policy responses to possible supply disruption. They also stressed the need for stronger regional coordination and joint action to improve Asean’s energy resilience and maintain stable, secure and affordable energy supplies amid global uncertainty.

Energy Minister Akanat Promphan said Asean currently depends on the Middle East for 55% of its crude oil imports and 17% of its natural gas imports. Any disruption to energy transport routes through the Strait of Hormuz would directly affect supply chains, prices and access to oil and gas, while also weighing heavily on regional and global economic growth.

Thailand told the meeting that unrest in the Middle East had triggered oil-price volatility, affected people’s cost of living and created risks to national energy security.

Akanat said Thailand had responded by strengthening energy-security management, including increasing natural gas production in the Gulf of Thailand, diversifying fuel import sources and managing energy prices through the Oil Fuel Fund, especially to support vulnerable groups.

The Energy Ministry is also working with other ministries to ease the cost-of-living burden and promote the production and use of renewable energy, including solar power and biofuels, as part of Thailand’s sustainable energy goals.

Thailand also reaffirmed its readiness to work with Asean members to expand the ASEAN Power Grid, develop the Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline and support emergency oil and gas response mechanisms under the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement, or APSA.

The mechanism would allow member states to assist one another with petroleum supply during emergencies on a voluntary and commercially viable basis. Asean members also agreed to accelerate the submission of Instruments of Ratification so the agreement can come into force.

At the end of the meeting, ministers adopted a joint statement reflecting the readiness and commitment of all 11 Asean member states to cooperate in various forms, including with dialogue partners, to respond to the global energy crisis, strengthen energy security and increase the region’s sustainable energy self-reliance.

According to the statement, Asean, as a net energy-importing region, underlined the importance of keeping maritime routes safe and open, ensuring freedom of navigation, and allowing the safe, unobstructed and continuous passage of ships and aircraft through straits used for international navigation.

The statement also called for disruption to energy trade to be minimised in line with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.

Asean further reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional energy security and resilience through closer cooperation and coordination. It highlighted the importance of diversifying energy supply sources, accelerating the transition to clean and renewable energy, broadening sources of crude oil and petroleum products, and boosting intra-Asean energy trade.

The ministers also stressed the need to accelerate biodiesel and bioethanol blending, promote electric vehicles and electric cooking, expand renewable energy use and explore emerging technologies, including civilian nuclear energy, in line with international safety standards.

Asean reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation 2026–2030, including targets to reduce energy intensity by 40%, raise renewable energy to 30% of total primary energy supply, and increase the renewable share of installed power capacity to 45% by 2030.

The statement said these goals form part of Asean’s wider strategy to strengthen energy security while accelerating a just and inclusive energy transition.

Asean also called for continued efforts to strengthen and develop multilateral and multidirectional cross-border energy trade and the ASEAN Power Grid.

This includes initiatives such as the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project, or LTMS-PIP, which enables up to 200 megawatts of cross-border electricity trade using existing connections.

The statement also highlighted the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines Power Integration Project, or BIMP-PIP, which supports sub-regional energy connectivity and intra-Asean electricity trade.

Ministers also noted the importance of the Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline in expanding natural gas infrastructure and liquefied natural gas, or LNG, supply chains across the region.