SIBU: Sarawak’s shipbuilding industry continues to achieve new milestones as Winning International Group (Winning Group), a globally renowned maritime conglomerate, recently completed the construction and delivery of nine new vessels at a shipyard in Sibu.
According to a statement, this achievement further underscores Sarawak’s growing strength and potential in the international shipbuilding arena.
“The project, valued at SGD 23 million, reinforces Sarawak’s rising prominence and global competitiveness in the global maritime sector.
“The nine newly delivered vessels comprise tugboats and harbour tugs, which will be deployed for the Group’s offshore logistics and transshipment operations at the Port of Guinea, West Africa, as part of its expanding overseas port operations,” it said on Thursday.
Winning International Group, headquartered in Singapore, is a diversified multinational enterprise engaged in ship ownership, shipping operations, offshore transshipment, ship management, mining development, and railway construction.
Since 2014, the company has forged strong partnerships with several shipyards in Sibu, initially purchasing existing tugboats before signing newbuilding contracts from 2016 onward.
To date, Winning Group has successfully constructed and received over 40 tugboats of
various types in Sibu, demonstrating a long-term cooperative relationship built on mutual trust.
According to Winning Group Senior Vice President Sun Zhijun, the tugboat designs and configurations provided by Sibu shipyards are highly suited to the group’s 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.
“Standardising the construction of similar vessel types in Sibu not only enhances maintenance
and management efficiency for our Group, but also reflects Sibu’s professionalism and stability
in the international shipbuilding market,” he said.
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).
The statement further noted that the construction process was carried out under full supervision by the classification societies, and all major onboard equipment received classification approval.
The main engines meet Tier II environmental emission standards, fully complying with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements.
This achievement showcases Sarawak’s leadership in green shipbuilding and adherence to strict international standards.
In recognition of the sector’s rising profile, Sarawak’s shipbuilding industry will be featured at Asia Pacific Maritime (APM), taking place on 25 to 27 March 2026 in Singapore.
This showcase will be supported by the Sarawak Ministry for International Trade, Industry and Investment (MINTRED) and the Sarawak Trade & Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS), further strengthening Sarawak’s regional presence and promoting its world-class shipbuilding capabilities to a global audience. -UKASnews
