The new Muara Container Terminal which will double the port’s capacity to 500,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) annually is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2027, following a groundbreaking ceremony on 24 August.
The expanded capacity and facilities will position Muara Port to capitalise on regional growth opportunities, establishing Brunei as a regional shipping and transshipment hub, said Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister of Finance and Economy, YB Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awg Hj Md Amin Liew Abdullah, in his speech at the ceremony.
The Minister emphasised that the terminal expansion will not only increase overall throughput and accommodate larger vessels but will also contribute to growing the port’s value chain by offering additional logistics services.
This includes the construction of a 3.62-hectare Port Trade Zone (PTZ) within the new terminal, designed to streamline importing, production, and exporting for businesses using the port.
Also attending the Muara Container Terminal expansion groundbreaking ceremony were Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism, YB Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awg Hj Abd Manaf Hj Metussin; Minister of Development, YB Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Md Juanda Hj Abd Rashid; Minister of Transport and Infocommunications, YB Pg Dato Seri Setia Shamhary Pg Dato Paduka Hj Mustapha; and Secretary of the CPC Guangxi Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Guangxi, Liu Ning.
The terminal expansion has been a key objective since the port was privatised with the establishment of Muara Port Company (MPC) in 2017—a joint venture between government-owned Darussalam Assets and China’s Guangxi Beibu Gulf Port Group.
The expansion will feature a new 250-metre container terminal, extending the total land area of the port to over 16 hectares. The berthing area will be deepened to 15 metres, enabling the port to accommodate larger container ships with capacities of up to 14,000 TEUs and vessels weighing up to 30,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage).
The project will also include the installation of new equipment, such as quay cranes, rail-mounted gantry cranes, and a high-tech terminal operating system to improve operational efficiency and reduce turnaround times. These upgrades are expected to enhance the port’s capacity and efficiency enabling it to double its current handling capability of 220,000 TEUs annually.
YB Dato Dr. Hj Mohd Amin stated that MPC’s strategy is to expand beyond cargo handling into port-related activities that support downstream industries, aligning with Brunei’s economic diversification agenda.
This includes the establishment of a subsidiary, Muara International Fish Landing (MIFL) in 2021, to bolster Brunei’s growing aquaculture sector, which has recently attracted several foreign and domestic direct investments.
“MPC also plans to bring in more processing plants to MIFL, gather fish resources from the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) region for processing in Brunei, and transform Brunei into a regional processing centre. Our ultimate goal is to build an export-oriented fish industry with a complete industrial chain, InsyaAllah,” said the Minister.
MPC has also facilitated Brunei Fertilizer Industries in exporting nearly 600,000 tonnes of urea in 2023.
MPC’s strategic role in the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor
MPC’s joint venture is a cornerstone of the Brunei-Guangxi Economic Corridor (BGEC), set up in 2014, as part of the broader economic cooperation between Brunei and China under their respective national strategies—Brunei’s Wawasan 2035 and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Located in southern China, Guangxi is one of the closest Chinese regions to Brunei and has critical coastal access, particularly via the Beibu Gulf, which connects to major regional and international shipping routes.
The Guangxi Beibu Gulf Port Group—a Chinese state-owned enterprise responsible for managing and developing ports in the Beibu Gulf—provides vital connectivity for southern China to the ASEAN region.
Through their joint venture, Muara Port can leverage the Beibu Gulf’s strategic location and extensive network to enhance its capacity and attract more regional trade. At the same time, Brunei’s location provides a strategic gateway to the BIMP-EAGA and wider ASEAN markets.
