Sapangar Bay Container Port (SBCP), which handles most of the container throughput in Sabah, Malaysia, is set to more than double its handling capacity under the initial phase of its expansion program.
In a filing to Bursa Malaysia recently, Suria Capital Holdings Bhd said the construction work for the first stage will start early next year and be completed by 2019, according to a report by Bernama.
Suria Capital’s subsidiary, Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd, has been chosen as the implementing agency for the program under the 11th Malaysia Plan.
“The operation area will be expanded to boost container handling capacity to 1.25 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) from the current 500,000 TEUs. This involves expanding its berth length from the current 500 meters to 1.2 kilometers and stacking area from 15 hectares to 60 hectares,” Suria Capital said.
It added that at present, SBCP handles an average of 300,000 TEUs a year, which is about 70% of the total container throughput of Sabah.
“The growth has been on the uptrend at about 5% to 6% annually since the privatization exercise,” it said.
Suria Capital said that for the SBCP expansion program, the government has allocated MYR800 million (US$190 million), and funding under the first rolling plan will be staggered over two years from now until 2017.
“Under the arrangement, MYR7 million is to be used within the first year of implementation and MYR365 million in 2017,” it added.
Suria Capital noted that Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan, during his visit to the port recently, had announced that a master plan will be prepared this year to upgrade and expand the port’s infrastructure to allow mainline operators.
SBCP was completed in 2006 after the privatization of Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd in 2003.
Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas
