Port klang: Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) will not lose out from Port Klang's development of its third terminal on Carey Island as the economic cake is enough with increased cargo movements.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, PKFZ Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Priscilla Lim emphasized in a recent interview that the proposed terminal at Pulau Carey complements rather than competes with Port Klang's expansion. Opportunities are anticipated in support facilities, warehousing, industrial zone development, and port-related value-added activities. Lim's optimism regarding the spillover benefits is rooted in Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Amiruddin Shari's announcement that land-related matters for Port Klang's proposed Third Terminal on Pulau Carey were finalized last December, reviving the long-delayed expansion expected to reshape Malaysia's busiest port.
The Pulau Carey development involves a substantial 1,012 hectares of seabed area, with 688 hectares owned by Yayasan Selangor and an additional 86 hectares available for development. Carey Island, located adjacent to Westports, Malaysia's busiest container terminal, is strategically positioned near Northport, placing it at the core of Port Klang's logistics ecosystem. The proposed Third Terminal is expected to significantly expand the region's cargo-handling capacity, leveraging thousands of acres of flat, reclaimed, and developable land suitable for port-related industries, heavy manufacturing, and special economic zones. These developments are anticipated to support sectors such as logistics, petrochemicals, shipbuilding, and automotive components.
PKFZ, a subsidiary of the Port Klang Authority (PKA), operates as a regional distribution hub and free commercial and industrial zone near Port Klang, with its primary functions being international cargo distribution, manufacturing activities, amenities, and customs administration. PKFZ is strategically located across the narrow waterway from Pulau Carey, allowing it to capitalize on the upcoming developments.
Lim assured that PKFZ is thriving and poised to benefit from the expansion. "We are doing well here. We have our natural advantage, and if Carey Island is developed, the cake expands. We are not shrinking," she said. Lim highlighted PKFZ's role in complementing Westports and Northport by providing industrial, warehousing, and logistics facilities, enabling cargoes to be stored, repackaged, assembled, or manufactured before export or domestic distribution.
PKFZ has contributed significantly to Port Klang's overall container throughput, with about 442,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled by Westports and Northport in 2025, accounting for three percent of the total throughput. The company is also focused on its turnaround plan, with 254.14 hectares of its 384.45-hectare industrial zone now fully leased. PKFZ is undergoing a transformation to meet current market demands, improving occupancy and recurring income, and strengthening its financial position to accelerate the repayment of a RM3.8 billion federal loan.
PKFZ is also diversifying its tenant mix following a decline in London Metal Exchange (LME)-related warehousing activities, a key business sector previously. Lim revealed that PKFZ is now targeting industries such as oil and gas, food processing, rubber products, building materials, maintenance, repair and overhaul, logistics, and light manufacturing to ensure dynamic business growth and reduce reliance on a single industry.