KUALA LUMPUR: Northport, Westport and next up is Carey Island, a massive port-industrial city project, with infrastructure investments of more than RM200 billion (S$64.3 billion) covering an area of over 100 sq km – more than twice the size of Putrajaya.
This giant new port will also be able to handle more cargo than the two existing ports combined. According to Tan Sri Kong Cho Ha, chairman of Port Klang Authority (PKA) and Malacca Port Authority, the 20-year project will comprise the development of an integrated port and related infrastructure, industrial parks and free trade zones, commercial and residential buildings. Once all three phases of development are completed, the total gross development value (GDV) could exceed RM1 trillion.
“The whole of Port Klang is very congested now, and the ports are reaching maximum capacity. So we need to build another deep-sea port and develop capacity now to cater for our needs and growth,” said Kong in an exclusive interview with The Star.
The port within the project is envisaged to have an annual capacity to handle 30 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit) of container cargo.
“If we do not do anything now, we will continue to play second fiddle to Singapore and will not get a share of the bigger pie in future,” Kong added.
Last year, Port Klang – the world’s 12th busiest container port – handled container cargo totalling 13.2 million TEUs, a rise of 10.8 per cent over 2015. Its maximum capacity is 16 million.
