Waveguide losses as low as 0.1 dB/cm at a wavelength of lambda = 1.3 mu m have been achieved in SOI rib waveguides fabricated by wet chemical etching, The single-mode waveguides have a large cross section yielding field mismatch losses to a standard single-mode fiber of only 0.17 dB/facet (both polarizations), Polarization independent fiber-chip-fiber insertion losses of 0.9 dB (best 0.5 dB) at a chip length of 60 mm have been measured.