By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 12: Sarawak’s shipbuilding industry has reached another major milestone with the completion and delivery of nine high-quality vessels, a SGD23 million project undertaken at a Sibu shipyard, that not only reaffirms the region’s international competitiveness but also underscores Sarawak’s leadership in green shipbuilding.
The accomplishment, driven by Winning International Group (Winning Group), a globally renowned maritime conglomerate, further strengthens Sarawak’s rising prominence in the international shipbuilding arena.
According to a media release from Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS) on Thursday (Dec 11), the newly delivered fleet, comprising tugboats and harbour tugs, will support the Group’s offshore logistics and transshipment operations at the Port of Guinea in West Africa, marking another successful deployment of Sarawak-built vessels in global waters.
Winning Group, headquartered in Singapore, is a diversified multinational enterprise engaged in ship ownership, shipping operations, offshore transshipment, ship management, mining development, and railway construction, and is recognised as one of the world’s largest bauxite shipping operators.
Its partnership with Sibu-based shipyards began in 2014, initially through the purchase of existing tugboats before advancing to newbuilding contracts from 2016 onward. To date, the Group has constructed and received more than 40 tugboats of various types from Sibu, a testament to a long-term cooperative relationship built on trust and consistent delivery.
Winning Group senior vice president Sun Zhijun emphasised that the vessels produced by Sibu shipyards continue to meet the Group’s demanding operational needs in West Africa.
“The vessels built in Sibu are reliable in structure, easy to operate, and convenient to maintain.
“The local shipyards are also flexible in adjusting designs and specifications according to customer requirements, providing excellent value-added services. The construction period is well managed, and the overall cost performance is highly competitive,” he said.
He added that standardising the construction of similar vessel types in Sibu enhances the Group’s maintenance and management efficiency while reflecting Sibu’s professionalism and stability in the global shipbuilding market.
The nine newly delivered vessels underwent multiple rounds of design optimisation, resulting in improved speed, bollard pull, and manoeuvrability.
All vessels comply with the latest specifications of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) members, including Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (NK) and the China Classification Society (CCS). Their construction was fully supervised by classification societies, with all major onboard equipment receiving appropriate approvals.
The main engines meet Tier II environmental emission standards, fully complying with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements. This achievement highlights Sarawak’s commitment to green shipbuilding and the highest global standards.
This collaboration not only reflects Winning Group’s long-standing trust in Sibu shipyards but also demonstrates the region’s continued advancement in technical capabilities, construction capacity, and industry reliability.
As local shipbuilders further strengthen their expertise, Sarawak’s shipbuilding sector is fast emerging as a key driver of the State’s maritime and industrial development.
“Sibu’s shipyards have proven their ability to construct high-quality vessels that meet international standards — a true testament to Sarawak’s industrial strength and accumulated technical expertise,” the interview team noted.
Winning Group reaffirmed its commitment to deepening collaboration with Sarawak’s shipyards, jointly promoting sustainable regional maritime development and contributing to the broader internationalisation of Sarawak’s and Malaysia’s shipbuilding industries.
Recognising the sector’s growing profile, Sarawak’s shipbuilding industry will be prominently featured at Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) 2026, scheduled for March 25 to 27 in Singapore.
This showcase, supported by the Ministry of International Trade, Industry and Investment Sarawak (MINTRED Sarawak) and STATOS, will further elevate Sarawak’s regional presence and highlight its world-class shipbuilding capabilities to a global audience. — DayakDaily
