The Sarawak Rivers Board was formed on 1st October, 1993 under Section 3 of The Sarawak Rivers Ordinance 1993. It is a State statutory body directly under the supervision of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Transportation,Sarawak, with effective from 22nd August 2019, Sarawak Rivers Board is offcial placed under Ministry of Transportations Sarawak.

The Sarawak Rivers Board operates through a Board which is headed by a Chairman and members appointed by the Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri (MMKN) The Sarawak Rivers Board’s daily operation is handled by the Controller who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Board. Rivers play a major role in the economic activities of State. They provide easy means of transportation for passengers and goods. In addition, river also provide fresh water for consumption, recreation and industrial. Initial efforts on transport planning in Malaysia conducted in 1968, did review and consider rivers as a transportation mode. The reason being, in Pennisular Malaysia, priority was given to the development of roads and railways due to the unsuitability of most rivers there for navigation. In October 1989, the Sarawak State Government commissioned DHV Consultants to carry out a feasibility study on coastal and riverine transportation in Sarawak. Subsequantly , the Sarawak Rivers Ordinance, 1993 was passed by the State Legislative Assembly in May 1993 and come into effect in October 1993. By virtue of this Ordinance, the Sarawak Rivers Board was established in October 1993.