Govt to conduct feasibility study on RM200b Carey Island project

(The Sun Daily) – The government will conduct a feasibility study on the RM200 billion port and maritime city project on Carey Island, that is expected to conclude by the end of next year, before deciding on its fate.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the matter was discussed in the cabinet earlier today, and that the decision for a feasibility study has been given the nod.

He said the Port Klang Authority (PKA) has been given three months to identify and select consulting companies through a request for proposal, and that the government would then evaluate before appointing a consultant.

“The feasibility study is expected to take a year to complete. If the outcome is positive, then the project can be implemented, with the cost of the project to be incurred by a concession company appointed later.

“We will table the findings of the study to the cabinet and decide which company will be appointed to develop the project,” he told a press conference here, today, adding that the cost for the feasibility study would be covered by PKA.

He added that the study would focus primarily on the 283.28ha port proponent that has been identified on the island, but that it would also take into account the social and environmental impact of the project.

Loke had, on July 12, said the government would conduct a study to determine the feasibility of the proposed project and the necessity for another port near Northport and Westports in Port Klang.

Barisan Nasional had in January last year announced the Carey Island port-industrial city project, covering an area of over 100sq km, saying it was vital to boost the country’s position as the top hub in the region and to reduce congestion in Port Klang.

Under the proposal, the RM140 million port will be developed concurrently with a maritime city on the island, comprising industrial parks, free trade zones, and commercial and residential buildings.

Talk of a third terminal in the Port Klang area has been going on for years, with mixed views among stakeholders over the proposal to build a gargantuan port on Carey Island with an annual throughput capacity of 30 million containers.