Muara Besar Island
Native name: Pulau Muara Besar Nickname: PMB, Muara Island | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Muara Besar Island Location in Brunei | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Brunei Bay |
| Coordinates | 5°00′22″N 115°06′00″E / 5.0060444°N 115.0999753°E |
| Area | 9.636 km2 (3.720 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Brunei | |
| District | Brunei-Muara |
| Mukim | Serasa |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
Muara Besar Island (Malay: Pulau Muara Besar, Abbrev: PMB) is an island in Mukim Serasa, Brunei-Muara District, Brunei.[1] The island is essential for the Brunei–China relations due to its part in the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative.[2][3] It can be noted that the island may be referred to Muara Island in older works.[4]
A proposal for an 940 hectares (2,300 acres) protection status to be implemented on the island.[5] The island is home to migratory birds, shoebirds, primary forests and forest swamps.[5]
Location and geography[edit]
The island is located within the Brunei Bay, in the south of the South China Sea. Administratively, it is part of Mukim Serasa of the Brunei-Muara District, Brunei.[6] A mangrove forest is present on the inhabited island.[7]
History[edit]
During the Battle of Brunei in World War II, United States Navy warship USS Willoughby (AGP-9) was relocated off Muara Island to which a newly established PT boat base on the island on 10 July 1945.[4] The ship sat near the island until the Potsdam Declaration was signed on 15 August 1945.[4] In 1988, it was recommended that 90 hectares (220 acres) of the southeast end of the island to be protected.[7]
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in January 2008, in order to explore the construction of an export-focused industrial park.[8] In 2011, the Ministry of Finance and Economy approved the Zhejiang Hengyi Group to establish the Hengyi Industries Sdn, and began to develop the island.[9] The island is linked by the Pulau Muara Besar Bridge, which was completed in May 2018,[10] and a deep sea container port.[11]
The PMB Refinery operated by the Hengyi company within the PMB Industrial Park,[12][10] was joined by two other Chinese companies (Zhejiang Hengyi Group and Damai Holdings).[12] The industrial park took up a total land area of 955 hectares and are being used to produce petrochemical, oil and gas industries.[11] The Phase 1 and 2 of the project were expected to be completed between late 2019 and 2023.[13][14] The 2nd phase, which began construction on 25 September 2020, will be essential to Brunei's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).[15]
Activities[edit]
There are a number of fish farms in the sheltered area between Pelumpong Spit and PMB.[16]
Gallery[edit]
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Australian soldiers landing on PMB in 1945 -
Pulau Muara Besar Bridge in 2022 -
PMB Refinery seen from Serasa Beach in 2022 -
Pelumpong Spit (foreground) and PMB seen from a commercial aircraft in 2023
References[edit]
- ^ Names, United States Board on Geographic (1952). Decision List (in Malay). The Board. p. 59.
- ^ "The Belt and Road Initiative for Brunei petrochemical project". SynergenOG. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "H.E.Ambassador Yu Hong Visited Hengyi Pulau Muara Busar Prject". www.mfa.gov.cn. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b c Division, United States Naval History (1959). Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: Historical sketches. Navy Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History Division. p. 386. ISBN 9780160020391.
- ^ a b Silvestre, Geronimo (1992). The Coastal Resources of Brunei Darussalam: Status, Utilization and Management. WorldFish. p. 151. ISBN 978-971-8709-11-5.
- ^ "Pulau Muara Besar Industrial Park". DARe (Darussalam Ent) (in Malay). Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b Silvestre, Geronimo (1992). The Coastal Resources of Brunei Darussalam: Status, Utilization and Management. WorldFish. p. 151. ISBN 978-971-8709-11-5.
- ^ Inc, IBP (14 May 2016). Brunei Business and Investment Opportunities Yearbook Volume 1 Strategic Information and Opportunities. Lulu.com. p. 151. ISBN 978-1-4387-0627-6.
{{cite book}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Articles - World Class Refinery and Integrated Petrochemical..." www.mofe.gov.bn. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b "PMB Bridge Was Recently Completed In May 2018 | Brunei's No.1 News Website". www.brudirect.com. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Brunei: Pulau Muara Besar Bridge nears completion". World Highways. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Pulau Muara Besar Refinery, Brunei". Offshore Technology. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Hengyi refinery to be operational by end of 2019". The Scoop. 1 March 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Hengyi plans polymer, petchem units in Brunei expansion | Argus Media". www.argusmedia.com. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ "Brunei-China joint petrochemical venture to expand into second phase". The Star. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ^ 20-foot whale stranded near Muara Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, Borneo Bulletin 12-05-2003 - retrieved 28-05-2007