Labuan - Cement Wreck

Labuan · Labuan Federal Territory · Malaysia

The Cement Wreck is the star attraction of Labuan's renowned wreck diving portfolio, a 92-meter cement carrier sitting perfectly upright and remarkably intact in 30 meters of water east of Labuan Island in the South China Sea. Known officially as the MV Tung Hwang, this vessel sank on September 25, 1980, after striking Samarang Bank, and over four decades of marine colonization have transformed it into one of the most impressive artificial reefs in Malaysian Borneo. The wreck's dimensions are substantial. At 92 meters long and 15 meters wide, the Tung Hwang dwarfs most wreck dive sites in the region. The main deck sits at 19 meters, the wheelhouse at 14 meters, and the bottom of the hull rests on sand at approximately 30 meters. This depth profile means that even the shallowest meaningful features are below 14 meters, demanding good air management and buoyancy control. What sets the Cement Wreck apart is the extraordinary quality of its marine growth. The upper half of the vessel has developed into a genuine coral garden, with hard corals, soft corals, and sponges colonizing every surface. Sea fans extend from the railings, and the mast and rigging are festooned with colorful encrusting life. The transformation from industrial vessel to living reef is so complete in places that the underlying steel structure is barely visible beneath its biological coating. The fish life around the Cement Wreck matches the quality of the coral coverage. Massive schools of chevron barracuda form shimmering curtains above the superstructure, and large platoons of longfin batfish hover around the wheelhouse with their characteristic languid grace. Schools of snapper orbit the hull, groupers of impressive size occupy the darker interior spaces, and lionfish patrol the overhangs and doorways. Moray eels peer from hold openings, and stingrays rest on the sand beside the hull. Labuan's status as Malaysia's wreck diving capital rests on four significant wrecks, but the Cement Wreck is the crown jewel, combining accessible depth, excellent marine growth, impressive dimensions, and abundant fish life in a single dive. Combined with the warm waters and mild currents typical of the area, it offers a world-class wreck diving experience accessible to any intermediate-level diver.