| Achong Tanjong |
LEGISLATIVE Council (LegCo) members paid a working visit to the Maritime and Port Authority of Brunei Darussalam (MPABD) in Muara yesterday.
The working visit allowed the LegCo members a chance to get a closer look at the facilities and services conducted by the MPABD. The visit also provided better understanding of the sea transportation sector’s project and issues, in the run up to the November 26 meeting between LegCo members and officials from the Ministry of Communications.
The work visit began at the Passenger Ferry Terminal and Vehicle in Muara. There, they were briefed on the services and handling processes for the Serasa – Labuan route, which ferries an average of 128,046 passengers and 1,000 vehicles per year. The passenger checking process as well as vehicle and port clearance were touched on.
Next, the delegation visited the Muara Coast Signal Station, which commenced operation in 1982, to safeguard the safety of ships entering and exiting the Muara canal to Muara Port and private jetties.
According to statistics from MPABD, an average of 11,314 vessels enter and exit through the Muara canal every year. The figure is expected to increase over a period of two years, when refinery and petrochemical plants at Pulau Muara Besar start operations.
The delegation also took a closer look at the communication handling method between MPABD and ships passing through the canal.
The delegation later visited the Muara Port to observe the Cruise Ship Centre, Muara Conventional Terminal and Muara Container Terminal, managed by Muara Port Company Sdn Bhd (MPC) since July 2, 2018. The company has a workforce of 150, a majority of whom are locals.
Muara Port is the main port for Brunei Darussalam, managing the import and export of cargo through bulk containers. It also serves to operate the vehicle vessel (ro-ro) and cruise ships.
According to MPC statistics, 78,573 containers were handled from January to September 2017, while 84,197 containers were handled from January to September 2018, showing a 7.16 per cent increase.