KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor is confident  that the strategic collaboration between Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd (SPSB) and DP World  (DPW), a global port terminal operator will be a boon to Sabah's aspiration to promote  the Sapangar Bay Container Port (SBCP) as a key transhipment hub in the region. 

"In the long run the vision is to improve landside and seaside connectivity throughout  the State thereby reducing transit costs and time besides improving performance  standards across the State's entire supply chain," he said. 

"I am happy that DP World has chosen Sabah to expand its business and I invite DP  World to look into other potential economic areas in Sabah," said Hajiji during the  meeting with Dubai-based DPW Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer Sultan  Ahmed Sulayem at the sideline of the State Assembly sitting today. 

Meanwhile, Sulayem said DP World had been in negotiation to enter into a business  collaboration with SPSB. 

Sulayem who was ranked the 11th most powerful Arab business leader in 2023 credited  Hajiji for taking the project to fruition. 

"Sabah is a beautiful state and located strategically to become a logistic hub in this  region," he said, adding that DP World had chosen Sabah because of its stability, which  is conducive for investments. 

Sulayem said he would do his best to use his Fortune 500 connections to bring  businesses to Sabah.  

SPSB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Suria Capital Holdings Berhad of which the State  Government is a majority shareholder, operates eight terminals — SBCP, Sapangar Bay  Oil Terminal, Kota Kinabalu Port, Kudat Port, Sandakan Port, Tawau Port, Lahad Datu  Port and Kunak Port. 

The State Govt Government has given approval for the collaboration with DPW for the  operation and management of SBCP on Jan 4, 2023.

DP World has a network of more than 60 ports and terminals with the capacity to handle  over 90 million Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) a year and across the world.  

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