Port of Antwerp-Bruges International (PoABI) and Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Perak (PKNP), a Malaysia state development agency, have formed a strategic partnership to develop the port of Lumut in Perak state, Malaysia.
The European Commission has awarded a €1.9 million (US$2.1 million) grant for feasibility studies, recognising the port’s potential as a logistics and industrial hub.
For PoABI, a subsidiary of Port of Antwerp-Bruges, this is the first major project in South-east Asia, after similar Africa projects in Oman and Namibia.
Malaysia lies in a major international shipping lane between the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. Located in Perak state, Lumut is a smaller port between Kuala Lumpur in the south and Penang in the north.
PoABI supports and strengthens overseas ports and terminals through consultancy, management solutions, investment projects and training. As part of the development of the port of Lumut, PoABI set up a development company together with PKNP. This company combines PKNP’s local knowledge and network with PoABI’s international expertise in project management, port management and training enabling the development and management of Lumut Maritime Industrial Cluster (LUMIC).
The strategic partnership aims to make Lumut a world-class maritime hub and a catalyst for Perak’s growth.
Kristof Waterschoot, managing director of PoABI, said, “The official establishment of this development company underlines our commitment to the development of LUMIC. Together with our partner PKNP, we are ready to create a sustainable industrial cluster, which will not only boost the local economy, but also contribute to the broader vision of progress and innovation for the state of Perak in Malaysia.”