Incorporating the Andaman Sea, Gulf of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia… and more
In the west Johor Strait, between Singapore and Malaysia are the upcoming and controversial ten square kilometres of reclaimed land of Forest City and the early stages of the planned fourteen square kilometres reclamation of Tanjung Piai Maritime Industrial Park.
Forest City is a high-rise residential project of four separate islands just a mile southwest of the Malaysia Singapore Tuas 2nd Link Bridge running to the entrance channel of Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) Commercial Port.
[read more]The business strategy is aimed mainly at the Chinese market and includes foreign freehold ownership, international schools and universities, massive shopping malls and walking streets, retirement communities, e-commerce, financial centres and the possibly of three future luxury marinas, one with a full CIQ ferry terminal to connect to Singapore. The Forest City four-island project is half-way completed at the time of writing and will house upwards of half a million residents when done in 2022.
Just west of the PTP channel is the early start of the reclaimed 3,500 acre sand island of Tanjung Piai Maritime Industrial Park. At the time of writing the project is in limbo with only the first island half finished. In past editions we recommended anchoring offshore here near the National Park jetty, but we’ve removed it in this edition because there’s too much traffic and no up-to-date charts of these reclamations. If completed these islands will cater for the Oil and Gas industry’s largest Crude Carriers and provide safe anchorage for up to 1,000 ships.
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10 miles from Singapore
Shelter can be found between Kukup Island and Kampung Air Masin stilted fishing village anywhere in the deep basin away from the dozens of floating fish farms.
Approaching from the south, pass the Kukup outer flashing lateral green and white special light on starboard to avoid the 1-metre soft mud bank. Anchor anywhere in the calmer areas adjacent the Lateral Red light off the Pulau Kukup National Park signs at the edge of the mangroves.
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On the mainland is the bright yellow CIQ ferry terminal with immigration and daily connections to Indonesian Sekupang Batam and Karimun Rau islands. Best anchor well clear of this structure. There are plenty of colourful stilted seafood restaurants on the mainland side with excellent local fare and a rustic local town. Across the channel, Kukup Island is a favourite local National Park with a long jetty and a 1-kilometre suspended boardwalk through the mangroves to an observation deck.
If passing inside the island be aware of east current setting strongly toward the shore and the west current toward Long Bank on the opposite side of the fairway. You’ll have to pick your way through the fish farms.
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22 miles from Singapore
Pulau Pisang belongs to Malaysia but the lighthouse and road leading to it were built in 1914 and because of a controversial, albeit long-standing agreement remain administered by Singapore’s Marine and Ports Authority (MPA).
Anchorage can be found south of the jetty on the 2-metre bank of thick mud. In southwest swell, reasonable shelter can be found just to the north of Pulau Sauh on mud at °28.481N, 103°16.206E1. For shelter from the northeast fetch, park just south of Pulau Tunda anywhere around 1°27.891N, 103°14.464E1.
Passage is possible between the islands at all tides for vessels drawing less than 2.5 metres. Ashore a track leads from the jetty to the historic lighthouse.
