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The strategic thrusts of the Sabah Development
Corridor (2008-2026) aimed at achieving a
four-fold expansion of the economy of the State
over the next 18 year promises to open up a new
dimension in the growth and development of ports
in Sabah.
In particular, the eight principal sea outlets,
managed and operated by Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd,
which are expected to play leading catalytic
role in the development of the State, will
witness dramatic growth spawned by the expansion
of trade under the new development initiative.
“We are certainly looking forward with great
optimism to the exciting times ahead for the
growth of our ports in line with the structural
transformation the economy is expected undergo
with the launching of the Sabah Development
Corridor,” said the group managing director of
Suria Capital Holdings Bhd, Datuk Hj Abu Bakar
Hj Abas. Suria Capital Holdings Bhd is the
parent company of Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd.
An important component of the new development
initiative under the SDC, which will be launched
by the Prime Minister at Sapangar Bay in Kota
Kibalu, Sabah on Tuesday, is to foster expansion
of regional trade by leveraging on the strategic
geo-economic position of Sabah.
Central to the expansion of the regional trade
will be the role of ports and logistics services
sector in the state. This is expected to serve
Sabah ports well and foster the expansion of the
ports.
“We are particularly encouraged by the fact the
SDC has identified specific role for Sabah Ports
and providing for the creation of Sapangar Free
Zone linking the Sapangar Container Terminal and
identified the expansion of the role of Sandakan
Integrated Trade Exchange to leverage on
liberalization of the Asean Free Trade Area,” he
said.
The role of the recently-commissioned RM400
million Sapangar Bay Container Terminal (SBCT)
is expected to be crucial to fostering or
catalyzing the expansion of the regional trade,
covering the Borneo island and southern
Philippines.
Other ports in the Sabah ports system, namely
Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Kudat and
Sapangar Bay Oil Terminal, will also assume a
higher profile and developing capabilities in
serving selective trades with the expansion of
the economy of Sabah under the SDC. Under the
national Palm Oil Industry Cluster initiative,
for instance there are new opportunities for
ports like Lahad Datu and Sandakan to provide
appropriate port and downstream cargo handling
facilities and services.
Recent growth in volume of containers handled at
Sapangar Bay Container Terminal (SPCT) is a
positive indication that the region’s newest and
dedicated container terminal is well on the way
to play a major role in the development of
transshipment trade in the region.
Container volumes handled at SBCT totaled
105,000 TEUs in 2007, an impressive start for a
new container terminal. Total volume of
containers handled at all ports under Sabah
Ports Sdn Bhd in 2007 was 271,000 TEUs. |
