Brunei plans to promote exim trade

As part of its drive to promote the import and export trade through Brunei, its government plans has unveiled a host of agendas which includes developing free trade zone areas at the Brunei International Airport (BIA) and Muara Port.

The policy direction for sea transportation includes making transshipment and logistics core business activities, and provide bunkering, chandelling services, training facilities and schemes for local shipping crew, as well as to support the development of the Pulau Muara Besar Port in Brunei.

The government is also planning a Maritime Coordination Centre to promote and monitor maritime safety, security and protection of the environment through the ongoing reviews of existing regulations in line with international maritime organisation requirements.

In order to promote usage of electronic documentation in the collection of data and statistics, and also recruiting and training personnel to support the development of Brunei's maritime industries, it is understood to be toying with the idea of establishing a Maritime and Port Authority.

Its plans to boost regional distribution, transshipment and logistic activities call for the airport to be turned into a regional refuelling centre by offering attractive fuel prices and liberalising fuel suppliers.

The government has given the go-ahead to airlines to operate in Brunei provided they are based in nations that participate in the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia Malaysia the Philippines-East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) regional grouping that aims to stimulate greater trade and investment in the region.