KUCHING, July 27 — The Sarawak government is conducting a study to build a new deep sea port in Tanjung Embang, located in the south of the state.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, in a statement, said the decision was made following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Antwerp-Bruges Port and the state’s private sector in Belgium yesterday.
Abang Johari witnessed the signing of the MOU to develop Tanjung Embang Port at the mouth of Sungai Sarawak in Kuching, a project in collaboration between Antwerp Port and Hubline Bhd.
In his speech at the signing ceremony, Abang Johari said the application of the latest innovations in the management and services of the port will give it an advantage as an efficient port with low costs.
“If everything (innovation and technology) is in place, (and) the investors already have confidence, I’m sure this port will have the advantage to develop further,” he said.
The Port of Antwerp is the second largest international container port in Europe and the 14th in the world while Hubline is a local company involved in bulk shipping logistics services.
Abang Johari said at the beginning of this month, he was in Singapore to attend a briefing by consultants on the socio-economic impact of the project which involves an area of 109 square kilometres.
He said the entire Tanjung Embang peninsula will be developed by the ASSAR Group, an investment holding company wholly owned by the Sarawak government.
Meanwhile, State Economic Planning Unit director, Datuk Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel said the port is one of two deep sea ports that will be developed under the Post-COVID-19 Strategic Plan (PCDS 2030).
He said another port will be developed in the northern area of Sarawak as part of a programme to restore and drive Sarawak’s economic growth post-COVID-19.
