KUCHING: The Sarawak government will discuss with the federal government to discontinue the status of Bintulu Port, a deep-sea port located about 626 kilometres north of here, as a federal port.

Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said this move would enable the port to be administered and further developed as a state port and transform it to become a transportation hub in the Asia-Pacific region.

"I call on the shareholders, especially Petroliam Nasional Bhd, and the board of directors and management of Bintulu Port Holdings Bhd to support this key development initiative and take the necessary measures within the ambit of the discharge of their fiduciary duties, towards the realisation of this important objective," he said.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary of the incorporation of Samalaju Industrial Port in Bintulu last night, he said the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), which covers part of the Bintulu Port's hinterland, will experience economic advancement under the state's Post-COVID-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030).

Abang Johari said Bintulu will be the focal point of the state's new carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) industry and the production of hydrogen and other biofuels.

"The state government wants Bintulu Port to be part of an economically-vibrant Bintulu so that its shareholders and stakeholders will be able to benefit from the economic growth and prosperity that the state has planned," he added.

-- BERNAMA