MIRI, 2nd May 2025 – The Riverine Traffic and Navigation Safety Committee (RTNSC) of the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) conducted a site visit to the project site for the Proposed Dredging and Associated Works at Batang Baram Delta, Miri. The purpose of the visit is to assess the compliance with the risk mitigation measures made in the approved final Marine Traffic and Risk Analysis (MTRA) study related to the proposed dredging and associated works and to get further clarification on the proposed additional risk mitigation measures and recommendations to be incorporated into the MTRA report for the proposed temporary wharf or also known as Material Off Loading/Loading Facility (MOLF) to facilitate material loading and unloading operations throughout the dredging works until completion.

The visit was led by Yang Berhormat Tuan Haji Safiee Bin Haji Ahmad, Chairman of SRB and accompanied by RTNSC members including Capt. Ting Hien Liong, CEO of Shin Yang Shipping Sdn. Bhd., Mr. Rudy Beltran Paris from the Ministry of Transport Sarawak (MOTS), Mr. Sharizan Bin Jili and Mr. Mohd. Amrun Hafey from the Sarawak Region Marine Department, Mrs. Bong Bok Eng from the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) Sarawak, and Mrs. Norlida Ramlee from the Public Works Department Sarawak, the General Manager and Management Team from the Miri Port Authority (MPA), Officers from the SRB, the MTRA Consultant, namely, AJA Prima Sdn. Bhd., and the Contractor, namely, China Communication Construction Company Sdn. Bhd. (CCCC).

The program was held at the Project Site Office for the Proposed Dredging and Associated Works at Batang Baram Delta, Miri (Phase 1), under the Miri Port Authority (MPA). The briefing session commenced with welcoming remarks by Puan Serawa Budol, General Manager of MPA, followed by a comprehensive briefing by Mr. Wai Wai, Equipment Manager of CCCC, which included an overview of the scale and progress of the project as of 25th April 2025. The project involves dredging a 6-kilometre-long channel with a bottom width of 50 metres to a depth of -5 metres Chart Datum (CD), removing approximately 1.26 million cubic metres of dredged material. It also includes the construction of 12 kilometres of training bunds with a sloped embankment-type breakwater design, using approximately 650,000 cubic metres of stones of various sizes.

The Marine Traffic and Risk Analysis (MTRA) was delivered by Mr. William Jinep, Director of AJA Prima Sdn. Bhd. The study covers navigational risk assessment on the additional risk mitigation measures for a proposed temporary wharf or also known as Material Off Loading/Loading Facility (MOLF) which is constructed near the river mouth of Batang Baram, located at the north training bund. The MOLF essential for efficient material handling via barges due to limited road access to the project site, is a temporary structure intended to be dismantled upon project completion. Its use is anticipated to reduce road traffic, enhance site safety, and minimise environmental impact. AJA Prima also presented its Compliance Monitoring Plan, committing to the quarterly submission of monitoring reports to SRB, or monthly if high-risk activities are identified. The compliance monitoring by AJA Prima Sdn. Bhd. is conducted in collaboration with MPA, SRB, the Sarawak Region Marine Department, and the contractor.

After the presentation session, the program continued with a site visit to the north training bund, which is currently under construction and has reached 600 meters toward the sea, the dredging locations, and the proposed MOLF area. During the site inspection, it was observed that a total of 12 temporary navigation buoys (i.e., 6 Starboard Hand Buoys and 6 Port Hand Buoys) had been installed at the project site during the sand pumping phase. These Aids to Navigation (AtoN) serve to provide adequate guidance to vessels and enhance the safety of navigation when entering or exiting the channel at the Batang Baram river mouth. A total of 5 work barges, 1 sand dredger, and 2 tugboats were stationed at the site to support the dredging operations. A total of 2 speedboats were deployed to monitor marine traffic and ensure that the designated work zone is not encroached upon by unauthorised vessels. This compliance is in accordance with the Riverine Notice (Notice No.: LSS/HQ/RIV/38/2025) issued by the Sarawak Rivers Board on 16th April 2025.

The site visit is part of the continuous efforts and commitment of the SRB to assess the level of compliance by the project owner or contractor with the recommended risk mitigation measures made in the MTRA study. This is a crucial effort to ensure full compliance with safety requirements, including the adequate installation of AtoN to ensure safe navigation, effective project execution, and the successful implementation of engineering works in rivers.

The site visit was successfully conducted with good cooperation from MPA, relevant departments/agencies, shipping community, consultants, and the contractor. The visit concluded at 11:00 AM.