The United States is prepared to share maritime expertise with Malaysia to fight piracy in the troubled Malacca Strait, a visiting admiral said Monday. "It is a vital strait not just locally but internationally. It is one that we all have an interest in," the chief of US naval operations, Admiral Michael Mullen, told reporters.

"As we are developing future capabilities, certainly we are willing to share those with the Malaysian navy," he said.

Mullen said he had earlier met his Malaysian counterpart, Ilyas Din, to discuss the challenges faced in enforcing security in the strait which borders Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

"I spent a considerable amount of time with Ilyas to review (security in the strait) and where we can help do that — whether it is training or the kinds of procedures that might be beneficial to both of us," he said.

Malaysia has repeatedly rejected the prospect of US anti-terrorism patrols being mounted in the Malacca Strait, and has criticised Singapore for apparently suggesting it was incapable of guarding the waterway.

However, last year Malaysia's Defence Minister Najib Razak said that the nations bordering the strait were seeking US involvement in a supporting role, by providing aircraft for patrols.

Leading insurer Lloyd's has placed the Malacca Strait, which sees about one-third of the globe's trade passing through it, on its list of dangerous waterways.

Mullen, however, said he was happy with the level of security despite six reported pirate attacks in the second quarter of 2006.

"The security level is fine," he said.

In the latest incident early this month pirates attacked the Japanese-operated bulk carrier MV Island Oasis in waters off tsunami-hit Aceh.

But the 20 Filipino crew prevented the pirates, believed to be Indonesian, from boarding the ship.

In the same area off the coast of Aceh in the north of the strait, pirates had two days earlier attacked two UN-chartered ships hours apart.

In the first attack, some 12 pirates armed with AK47 rifles, hand grenades and pistols boarded the ship.

Mullen is on a two-day visit to Malaysia as part of a Southeast Asian tour. He leaves for Singapore Tuesday and will travel later to Indonesia.