Chinese companies to help Malaysia build deep sea port

ThreeChinesecompanieshavebeenselectedtohelpbuildanewdeep-waterportintheStraitofMalaccainMalaysia.

TheprojectispartoftheChinesegovernment'sbroader"beltandroad"initiative.

PowerChinaInternational,Shenzhen'sYantianPortGroupandRizhaoPortGrouphavebeenselectedtohelpaMalaysiancompanybuildthe1.9-billionUSdollarport.

TheprojectitselfispartofthelargerMelakaGatewayProjectthatChinaandMalaysiasignedlastmonth,whichalsoincludesrealestateprojectsinMalaysia.

MalaysianTransportMinisterLiowTiongLaisaysthenewportisbeingbuiltonacriticalwaterway.

"Onanannualbasis,overnearly100,000vesselsplytheStraitsofMalaccaasitsstrategiclocationispartoftheeast-westmaritimegateway.Soclearly,thereisasignificantopportunityandpotentialforgrowth."

ThemaintenderfortheportprojectisMalaysianfirmKAJDevelopment.

Oncecompleted,thecompanysaystheportwillalsocontainaliquidcargoterminalwhichwillbeabletoholdfuel,chemicalproductsandvegetableoil.

Atthesametime,aspartoftheMelakaGatewayProject,anumberofMalaysiancompaniesandtheProvincialgovernmentinGuangdongareplanningondevelopingtheislandofPulauMelakaintoamaritimeactivitiescenter.

Itwillincludeabulkcontainerterminal,shiprepairservicesandamaritimeindustrialpark.

China'sambassadortoMalaysia,HuangHuikang,saysthejointprojectwillbeamajorhubonthe"BeltandRoad."

"MelakaGatewayandMelakaMaritimeIndustrialParkcouldserveasamodelforcooperationbetweenChinaandMalaysia,andforallcountriesinterestedintakingpartinthe21stCenturyMaritimeSilkRoadinitiative."

ThedevelopmentoftheMelakaGatewayProjectisslatedtobecompleteby2025.

Theportisduetobeoperational6-yearsearlier,in2019.

(CRI ONLINE)