KUCHING, Jan 11: Six locations along Batang Rejang, Sungai Miri and Sarawak River have been gazetted as anchorage areas, and the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) wants the shipping community to take note of this.
The six areas are (1) Kampung Banyok, Sibu, (2) Tanjung Sadit, Sibu, (3) Kampung Barong, Sibu, (4) Sungai Tapang Besar, Tanjung Manis, (5) Sungai Miri, from the estuary to Piasau Bridge, and (6) Tanjung Sedap.
SRB, in a statement, said the gazettement of these areas were for loading and unloading of timber, sawn timber, coal and other cargo, or as a place of waiting for ships to harbour from bad weather or to wait for the water level to be suitable for maintenance, repair and other marine work.
SRB warned that the shipping community was not permitted to carry out all those aforementioned work outside of the gazetted areas.
Users who anchored in the gazetted areas should notify the SRB controller or his authorised representative of the quantity and type of cargo to be loaded, the time and date of arrival and return of the vessel, maintenance, repair and other marine work to be implemented.
All users have to pay a certain amount of fees that has been fixed. They must comply with Regulations 18(3)(a) and (c) and comply with all directions of the controllers of Sarawak River Board under Regulation 24, Rules (Traffic) of the Sarawak Rivers 1993.
SRB added that the gazetting of Tanjung Sedap as an anchorage area that was done through the River Notification (Anchorage Area) of the Sarawak River 1998 for unloading of dangerous goods has been amended to “Fisheries Anchorage Area”.
The exact location of the area can be checked at any nearby SRB offices or via the SRB website board at www.srb.sarawak.gov.my. — DayakDaily