ASB Labuan Sdn Bhd appointed Chemsain Konsultant Sdn Bhd to undertake the Environmental Impact Assessment study, and MRF was appointed to carry out the marine component of the EIA for the Proposed New Quay Wharf at Asian Supply Base Sdn Bhd, Labuan
The project involved developing a new wharf adjacent to the existing ASB wharf in Labuan, Malaysia which would involve dredging and reclamation works. This extension was proposed due to the significant demand for reliable logistic support facilities and in light with the newly discovered oil and gas fields offshore, particularly off the coast of Sabah and Sarawak.
MRF was contracted to identify, analyse and describe marine features (coral reefs, seagrasses, fisheries and other key marine lifeforms (including mangroves, macrobenthos and meiobenthos) within a 3 km radius from the proposed site. Marine features were to be marked, mapped and documented. Other important marine based economic activities encountered during the survey were also to be highlighted.
MRF was also tasked with conducting surveys and interviews with fishermen and relevant stakeholders, particularly the Department of Fisheries to describe and determine the importance of the fishery industry in the area, and to identify important fishing ground area in nearby vicinity and list of typical catches (species composition, characteristics, and average catches, and convert image information (coral, seagrasses, sensitive fishing grounds, etc.) into individual GIS layers.
MRF was also tasked with determining the potential impacts of the re-suspension of sediment resulting from the dredging and reclamation activities (using the modeling results from hydraulic consultant) on the marine ecosystem, and to propose appropriate mitigating measures and monitoring programmes to minimise the anticipated impacts.
