Keppel Harbour (Chinese: 吉宝港口 or 岌巴港口; pinyin: Jíbǎo Gǎngkǒu or Jíbā Gǎngkǒu; Malay: Pelabuhan Keppel), also called the Keppel Channel and formerly New Harbour, is a stretch of water in Singapore between the mainland and the southern islands of Pulau Brani and Sentosa (formerly Pulau Blakang Mati). Its naturally sheltered and deep waters was to meet the requirements of British colonists attempting to establish a Far East maritime colony in that part of the world, thereby setting the stage for the eventual formation of Singapore as a successful independent state.