Malaysia‘s Muar port anchorage in Johor has been officially designated for ship-to-ship (STS) operations and bunkering.

The site will also support a range of vessel activities, including tank cleaning, deslopping, maintenance and other short-term anchorage needs while ships await orders, GAC Hot Port News said in a notification on Monday.

Port dues will be levied on vessels calling at the anchorage, with certain exemptions in place.

These apply to Malaysian government-owned and naval vessels, ships seeking refuge due to force majeure, or calling solely for medical emergencies, as well as small licensed vessels under 20 GT, licensed fishing vessels, and ships making short calls of no more than 48 hours for bunkers, supplies, or crew changes.

The designation provides shipowners and suppliers with a new authorised location along the Malacca Strait, expanding options for bunkering and related services at one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.