THE Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) continues to strengthen and maintain key riverine infrastructure, recording 2,616 vessels utilising its wharf facilities as of Oct 31, handling 28,566 Gross Tonnage (GT) and 255,324 tonnes of cargo.
Passenger terminals across the state saw 487,653 travellers, while Miri anchorage registered the highest traffic with 17,244 vessel movements.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin, in his ministerial winding-up speech in the State Legislative Assembly today (Dec 2), said SRB also issued 6,034 river transport permits for various vessel categories, including cargo ships, tugboats and passenger vessels.
“The SRB is responsible for issuing permits for river-related activities such as the construction of wharves, jetties, bridges, pipelines, cables and facilities for water sports. As of Oct 31, a total of 459 permits were issued.
“To ensure navigation safety, 79 Marine Traffic and Risk Analysis (MTRA) studies were endorsed, with 50 completed and 29 ongoing,” he said.
He also added that enhancements to river navigation included the installation of 65 new Aids to Navigation (ATON) across Kuching, Bintulu, Mukah, Miri, and Kapit Divisions, alongside the fully operational Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) at Sungai Sarawak and the under-construction Sungai Miri system, targeted for completion by Q3 2027.
“SRB’s River Heritage Programmes engaged 5,052 participants in 32 safety and environmental initiatives, while enforcement activities included 1,311 river patrols, 1,372 vessel inspections, and 96 compounds totalling RM60,400.
“Capacity-building efforts saw 113 local boat operators certified through the Certificate of Competency (CoC) ‘Mate Below 500GT’ courses in partnership with the Marine Department Malaysia (MARDEP),” he added.
Meanwhile, he said the Buoys and Light Board (BLB) maintains 165 ATONs across Sarawak rivers, including lighthouses, beacons, and buoys, all certified under MS ISO 9000.
“Hydrographic surveys and chart updates ensure compliance with international standards, safeguarding navigation throughout Sarawak waters,” he said.
