BANDUNG, July 10 — The state government is ready to break ground on the proposed third port terminal on Pulau Carey as early as September, subject to the Transport Ministry's (MOT) approval of the port licence, as Selangor reviews potential operators for the terminal, said Menteri Besar Dato' Seri Amirudin Shari.
With land-related matters largely resolved, regulatory approval has become the final hurdle before construction can begin.
The state government is now waiting for the ‘green light’ from the MOT before proceeding with the project.
"I believe that the plans can be finalised by September. Right now, we are waiting for the licence from the ministry.
"Once it has been issued, we can start immediately, and I believe that we have settled the land matters with regard to the development of the port,” Amirudin told Bernama during the launch of SIBS@ASEAN in Bandung, Indonesia.
In Malaysia, a port licence is the authorisation to carry out maritime, shipping, or commercial activities within a port area regulated by statutory authorities such as the Port Klang Authority.
Responding to a question about the terminal operator, he said an announcement would be made only after all matters, including the issuance of the port licence, have been finalised.
Several parties have expressed interest in operating the port over the past two years, including MMC Corporation Bhd (MMC Corp).
MMC Port Holdings Sdn Bhd, the port operations arm of MMC Corp, is the owner of Northport (Malaysia) Bhd and the operator of Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Johor Port, and Tanjung Bruas Port.
When asked about the state government's role in the development of the third terminal, Amirudin said the they would oversee the project's development and regulatory coordination, while a state-owned subsidiary would represent Selangor by holding an equity stake in the port's operations.
The move is important to enable the state to generate a steady stream of income from the port's operations, in addition to tax revenue.
"The state-owned subsidiary will represent the state by holding a stake in the terminal's operations, ensuring that the third port generates a steady stream of revenue for Selangor, not only through taxes but also from operating profits,” he said.
Regarding the project's timeline, the Menteri Besar said it could take at least a decade for the port to become fully operational.
The proposed Pulau Carey development is expected to complement the ongoing Westports Phase 2 expansion as Malaysia seeks to strengthen Port Klang's position as a regional maritime hub.
Port Klang currently has an annual handling capacity of about 15.1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which is projected to increase to 28-29 million TEUs upon completion of Westports Phase 2.
By comparison, Singapore's Tuas Megaport is designed to handle up to 65 million TEUs annually upon its full completion, highlighting the scale of regional competition and Malaysia's ambition to strengthen Port Klang's competitiveness.
On another development, in his keynote address at the launch of SIBS@ASEAN, Amirudin called on the littoral states of the Strait of Malacca to cooperate closely and stand united in safeguarding the sovereignty of the strategic waterway.
“The Strait of Malacca belongs to us. We must not allow anyone to take it or dictate anything concerning it. Ultimately, it belongs to all of us and is regulated by us,” he said.
Comparing the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca, Amirudin said only about 20 per cent of the world's energy passes through the Strait of Hormuz, while close to 30 per cent passes through the Strait of Malacca.
"The peace in the Strait of Melaka should be protected," he said.
