The partnership is expected to develop container freight services and routes linking Brunei Darussalam and the southern regions of the Philippines. Photo credit: iStock/thitivong.
The strategic partnership between Warisan Shipping Line (WSL) and DP World Logistics Malaysia is expected to boost Brunei Darussalam’s position as a maritime and logistics hub in the BIMP-EAGA subregion.
The Brunei Darussalam-based shipping line and the logistics company have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that “focuses on the development, management, and operation of container freight services serving Brunei Darussalam and Southern Philippines, as well as efforts to increase container volumes and expand shipping routes across the BIMP-EAGA region,” said Brunei Darussalam’s Minister of Transport and Infocommunications Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha, who is also chairman of the country’s Maritime and Port Authority.
WSL was established in March 2025 as a regional container shipping company targeting intra-ASEAN routes and the short-sea maritime logistics market. It offers feeder services to major ports and transshipment hubs. DP World Logistics Malaysia is part of a Dubai-based multinational logistics company. It manages Sapangar Bay Container Port in partnership with Malaysia’s Sabah Ports Sdn. Bhd. Sapangar port is positioned as a transshipment center for BIMP-EAGA.
The MOU is expected to develop container freight services and routes linking Brunei Darussalam and the southern regions of the Philippines and improve trade and logistics connectivity in the broader BIMP-EAGA subregion. It will expand WSL’s operations beyond the current two shipping corridors: Singapore–Sabah–Brunei Darussalam and Sarawak–Brunei Darussalam–Sabah.
The development of shipping routes between Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines is aligned with the development of BIMP-EAGA’s West Economic Corridor (WEC), which is envisioned as a transport and logistics corridor. Areas covered by the WEC are Belait, Brunei-Muara, Temburong, and Tutong; West Kalimantan, Federal Territory of Labuan, Sabah, and Sarawak; and Basilan, Palawan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay.
Speaking at the signing ceremony on 28 January in Bandar Seri Bagawan, Minister Pengiran Dato Shamhary Mustapha said: “Brunei Darussalam’s strategic location places us at the crossroads of regional and international shipping routes. In an era where global supply chains are increasingly dynamic and complex, the importance of resilient, efficient, and well-connected maritime and logistics networks cannot be overstated. The partnership we witness today reflects a clear understanding of these realities and a collective determination to respond with foresight, responsibility, and practical solutions.”
“This partnership also supports the broader objectives of the BIMP-EAGA initiative, which seeks to promote inclusive economic growth, strengthen cross-border connectivity, and enhance trade flows across Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Improved maritime and logistics connectivity will play a vital role in unlocking untapped markets for businesses, supporting small and medium enterprises, and facilitating the efficient movement to goods across the subregion,” he added.
Present during the ceremony were WSL Chairman Zakaria Pehin Dato Haji Abd Aziz, DP World South East Asia Executive Vice-President Xavier Marc Michel Elgller, Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Marian Jocelyn R. Tirol-Ignacio, and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Leong of the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB).