Tawau Ferry Terminal

Monday, 30 October, 2023 12:22:45 PM

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Tawau Ferry Terminal
Wharf for express passenger boats to Nunukan and Tarakan in Indonesian Borneo.

CIQ complex is in Tawau ferry terminal
The CIQ complex include :
1- Customs,
2- Immigration
3- Quarantine

All ships and passengers from Nunukan and Tarakan, Indonesia disembark at the CIQ. About 10 Immigration Officers serve at this CIQ of Tawau Ferry Terminal

The old CIQ is now used for domestic landing from Pulau Sebatik. This old CIQ is at the right hand side of the Tawau Fish Market. On the left hand side of this fish market is the Tawau Ferry Terminal.

The New Ferry Terminal of Tawau
(That include Customs, Immigrations and Quarantine - CIQ)

Tawau's new Ferry Terminal and Customs, Immigrations and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex is on a four-acre site at the left hand side of Tawau Fish Market. The land is owned by a private company.

This RM25 million new Express Ferry Terminal is under Sabah Port and Harbor Department's jurisdiction, as SPA isand responsible for the infrastructures and facilities.

This Rm25 millions 10-month project involved two phases :
Phase 1 : the ferry terminal and CIQ complex
Phase 2 : security installation including closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs).

Tawau ferry terminal is able to accommodate up to six ferries at one time.

As for Nunukan terminal in the Indonesia side the Indonesian ferry terminal is completed for use in 2010. This new Nunukan terminal cater exclusively for passengers. The old one is converted for handling cargo.

Ferry links between
Tawau - East Kalimantan

There is no air link between Tawau and the Kalimantan region.Ferry service became vital link between Tawau and Kalimantan of Indonesia.

The ferry helps in the economics of residents of Tawau, Sungai Nyamuk, Nunukan and Tarakan. At the same time contributes to cement social and cultural ties between Malaysians and Indonesians.

Workers from Indonesia who work in various sectors in Sabah come to Tawau through Tarakan and Nunukan.

There are 14 ferries at the Customs, Immigration & Quarantine (CIQ) complex which provide services between Tawau and three destinations in East Kalimantan.

All ferries, whether registered in Malaysia or Indonesia, have different passenger capacity depending on the size of the ferry, but on the average it was 100 to 158 passengers.

The express boats are equipped with safety equipment, there is air-conditioning and video games for passenger comfort.

The draw of Tawau to people from the neighboring country is shopping. Tawau has a very high potential as a tourist destination, especially for shopping. People from Sungai Nyamuk come to Tawau every day.

Ferry Services between Tawau (Malaysia) and Kalimantan Region (Indonesia)

If you are coming through Tarakan and Nunukan Indonesia, ferry services are available. There are 9 daily ferry services from Nunukan which will take approximately about 1 hour journey and 2 ferry services from Tarakan which will take about 3 hours. These ferry services are chargeable at reasonable price.

No less than 2,000 people, both Malaysians and Indonesians, used the Tawau terminal every day.

There are ferry connections from Tawau to Nunukan and Tarakan in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The fare to Nunukan is RM65 for a one-way trip that takes about 1 hour.
The fare to Tarakan is RM140 for a three-hour journey.
Starting June 2009, the Consortium of Tawau Ferry Companies has raised the fare from Tawau to Nunukan from RM40 to RM65.

The consortium had to raise the fare to meet rising operational costs due to the hike in diesel price.
There are 9 ferries plying the Tawau-Nunukan route daily with another ferry for the Tawau-Tarakan route.

The express boats were built by ship builders in Sibu around 2002.

Tawindo No 02

MV Tawindo 2
170 Seats
Tawau to Tarakan Rm 145.00

KM Tawindo 2
Between : Tawau and Tarakan
Departure 10:00AM
Duration : 3 hours
Fare : Rm 130.00 to 150.00

1) TAWAU to SG. NYAMUK
(at Indonesia side of Sebatik Island)

Tawau-Sungai Nyamuk destination, an Indonesian province in Pulau Sebatik, there is one ferry with a capacity of 100 passengers for daily service.
The journey from Tawau to Sungai Nyamuk takes about a half hour,
The Tawau-Sungai Nyamuk passengers are charged RM25

2) Tawau to Nunukan
(at Nunukan Island of Indonesia below Sebatik Island)

Tawau-Nunukan (RM65) one hour. Tawau-Nunukan route there are two ferries. The Nunukan-Tawau direction has eight services daily.

3) Tawau to Tarakan
( in Kalimantan of Indonesia)

Tawau-Tarakan (RM130). Tawau-Tarakan (three hours).
Each day a ferry would go from Tawau to Tarakan and back
11:30AM INDOMAYA EXPRESS Tawau to Tarakan
Tawau to Tarakan Ferry fare:
Adult Rm 145.00
Below 12 years old Rm 80.00
INDOMAYA EXPRESS daily trip from Tawau to Tarakan at 11:30AM
Ferry fare is Rm 145.00 for adult.

Boats and Vessels of Borneo Island