Brunei Launches Industrial Shipbuilding with New Vessel Project

Brunei has officially commenced industrial shipbuilding at Anson International, with the construction of Hull 211, a 55-metre aluminium crew transfer vessel designed to transport up to 80 personnel to offshore oil and gas platforms. This project is a collaborative effort between Anson and Singapore’s Fast Offshore Supply (FOS), with construction expected to take approximately 20 months following a commencement ceremony held on April 27.

The ceremony was attended by key officials, including YB Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awg Hj Md Amin Liew Abdullah, the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II, and YB Pg Dato Seri Setia Shamhary Pg Dato Paduka Hj Mustapha, the Minister of Transport and Infocommunications.

Shipbuilding is one of six core activities planned at Anson, which also includes ship repair and recycling, quayside solutions, marine construction, and decommissioning. The integrated shipyard, located at Pulau Muara Besar, is set to begin operations in ship repair and maintenance, as well as general supply base activities, before September. Notably, the yard is already prepared for decommissioning activities, which is a relatively new venture for Brunei.

“Anson’s role is to support that process from the yard, where materials from offshore structures can be received, dismantled, segregated and processed for recycling, reuse or proper disposal.”Abu Syahmi Abd Rahman, Operations Manager

According to Anson Operations Manager Abu Syahmi Abd Rahman, the services offered at the integrated yard could generate between $10 million to $25 million annually, with the potential for further growth by catering to regional demand. He explained that decommissioning involves safely dismantling offshore oil and gas structures that have reached the end of their operational lifespan, ensuring that the site is restored appropriately.

“Anson’s role is to support that process from the yard, where materials from offshore structures can be received, dismantled, segregated and processed for recycling, reuse or proper disposal,” Abu noted.

This initiative is part of the Brunei Darussalam Maritime Cluster (BDMC), a sub-development under the services sector, which is one of five priority areas outlined in Brunei's Economic Blueprint for diversification. The project has been facilitated by the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB) and involves a joint venture with local partner Qaswa Holdings from the Adinin Group of Companies, the Ministry of Finance and Economy’s Strategic Development Capital Fund, and two international partners.