By Sarah Hafizah Chandra & Alverdtekoster Anyap
KUCHING: Bintulu Port Holdings Bhd (BPHB) recorded a strong operational performance in 2025, handling over 80 per cent of Sarawak’s total imports and exports.
Its Chairman, Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, said the port achieved 52 million tonnes of cargo throughput, 313,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in container volume, and more than 7,600 vessel calls.
He said the figures illustrate the strategic importance of Bintulu Port as Sarawak’s primary import and export gateway, as well as East Malaysia’s largest container port and the country’s sole LNG export hub.
“From LNG, palm oil and timber to heavy industrial cargoes and raw materials, the port remains at the very heart of Sarawak’s economic ecosystem.
“These achievements reflect not only operational excellence, but also the strategic importance of the port to both Sarawak and the nation,” he said.
He was speaking at the BPHB 30th anniversary dinner on Tuesday evening (April 14).
Since its establishment in 1996, Abu Bakar said BPHB was formed as the port operator with the objective to manage, operate and develop Bintulu Port in a manner that is efficient, commercially sustainable, and firmly aligned with the aspirations of Sarawak and the nation.
He said BPHB was also entrusted with building the infrastructure and connectivity that drives industrial growth and strengthens trade competitiveness, creating lasting value for its shareholders, partners as well as the communities.
“Beyond Bintulu Port, our group’s capabilities have expanded significantly. The Samalaju Industrial Port, which has been operational since April 2014, spans 343 hectares and serves as a key logistics platform for the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
“In a landmark development, Samalaju Industrial Port is set to become Sarawak’s first fully Free Zone port, following approval in principle by the Ministry of Finance, with plans to extend this framework to Bintulu Port. These will create a comprehensive and globally competitive industrial corridor,” he said.
Complementing this, Abu Bakar said, is the establishment of Borneo Oil and Gas Supply Base Sdn Bhd in September 2024 to reinforce BPHB’s role as an integrated logistics and operational support platform within Sarawak’s offshore energy section.
“Meanwhile, Biport Bulkers continues to underpin Sarawak’s agricultural strength, managing over four million tonnes annually. It accounts for approximately 95 per cent of Malaysia’s overall palm oil exports, thus firmly cementing our position as a key player in the global palm oil supply chain.
“Together, these developments reflect a group that is not merely growing, but evolving strategically to serve Sarawak’s long-term economic ambitions,” he said.
