To contain the spread of COVID-19, the Bruneian government issued an emergency notice on Mar. 16 announcing the opening of the sea-crossing Temburong Bridge the very next day. To inaugurate the bridge ahead of schedule is for the convenience of commuters who travel during the pandemic between the Temburong district and other parts of Brunei that are geologically separated by the Brunei Bay.

The Temburong Bridge spans about 30 kilometers across the Brunei Bay, linking the Brunei-Muara and Temburong districts. It is the largest infrastructure project in Bruneian history, and will be the longest bridge in Southeast Asia when fully completed. The CC4 section of the sea-crossing bridge was constructed by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC). The total length of this section is 11.8 kilometers, which is a fully-prefabricated bridge that has the most spans in the world. In 2019, this project achieved more than eight million safe man-hours and won the International Safety Award from the British Safety Council. It was also selected by China’s Ministry of Commerce as an exemplar of foreign investment and cooperation.

Starting from Mar. 17, the bridge will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Its opening ahead of schedule is aimed at reducing the risk of infection among people across the Brunei Bay, who previously had to cross the sea by boat. The commute time between Temburong and the rest of Brunei is cut from two hours to 15 minutes after the two areas are connected by the bridge.

During the outbreak, the staff of the CSCEC Temburong Bridge project carefully studied prevention methods and implemented prevention measures. They also purchased supplies such as face masks, alcohol disinfectant, and thermometers in a timely manner. Disinfection was carried out twice a day in offices, dining rooms, and living areas to ensure the safety of the staff and the orderly construction of the project, which guaranteed the timely delivery and early inauguration of the bridge.