Ewon (fourth left) is seen during a photocall for the MoA signing ceremony.

KOTA KINABALU (July 31): Eastport Marine Sdn Bhd, BMM Marine Services Sdn Bhd, and KCCI Venture Sdn Bhd have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to strengthen Sabah’s maritime industry and expand related services in the state.

Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick said the strategic partnership between the three Sabah-based companies reflected the private sector’s commitment to working together to improve the efficiency and quality of services offered to the industry.

“I welcome collaborations such as this among local industry players, in line with the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 roadmap and the Sabah First Vision under the Ministry of Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport (Mindet).

“I hope this agreement will benefit not only the three companies involved but also Sabah’s maritime industry and its supporting services,” he said after witnessing the MoA signing here on Thursday.

Ewon, who is Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Minister, said the ministry remained supportive of strategic partnerships that could meet the growing needs of the industry, particularly in the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (Sogip).

In his speech, Ewon said the MoA was a reflection of the local industry’s confidence in Sabah’s expanding Blue Economy.

He said the partnership also demonstrated the commitment of Sabah-based companies to build local capabilities, create quality employment opportunities, and strengthen the long-term capacity of the state’s maritime industry.

According to him, Sabah is experiencing encouraging industrial growth, driven by investments in the dry bulk cargo, oil and gas, petrochemical, logistics, renewable energy, and Blue Economy sectors.

He said the expansion of these industries would continue to increase demand for a wide range of maritime support services.

Among the services expected to see greater demand are harbour towage, offshore maritime logistics, vessel handling, pilotage support, mooring services, and emergency response capabilities, all of which require high standards of professionalism, technical expertise, and safety compliance.

Ewon described the partnership between Eastport Marine, BMM Marine Services, and KCCI Venture as an example of the type of strategic collaboration the state government seeks to encourage in strengthening Sabah’s maritime ecosystem.

“An integrated maritime ecosystem comprising modern port infrastructure, competitive service providers, skilled local professionals, and close cooperation between the government and private sector is essential to enhance Sabah’s competitiveness as a regional maritime hub,” he said.

He also expressed hope that the agreement would lead to a productive and long-term collaboration that would create added value for the companies involved, generate more employment opportunities for Sabahans, and contribute to the continued growth of the state’s maritime as well as oil and gas industries.

The post Sabah-based companies ink MoA to strengthen maritime industry, expand related services appeared first on Borneo Post Online.