port, West Malaysia (Malaya). It lies along the South China Sea at the mouth of the Mersing River. Its predominantly Malay residents live in coastal and riverine fishing villages. There are some local tin-mining settlements and rubber estates. An embarkation point for Pulau Tioman and a regular port of call on the east coastal trade route, Mersing is linked by road inland to Batu Pahat and south to Johor Baharu and Singapore. Pop. (1980) 13,888.