The Story of

OUR PORT

THE HISTORY 

Malacca, used to be known as the Venice of the Orient, continues to shine as a beautiful capital city of the Western Province of Malaysia. This was one of the world’s trading posts as attested by plenty of foreign travellers, such as Tome Pires, who stated that whoever had control of Malacca had a stranglehold on Europe.

The Straits of Malacca served as a crucial trade link between the East and West, and was a cultural melting pot for Malay, Chinese, Indian, Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and English communities in the state. The port’s strategic importance was also one of the main reasons why the state was conquered by the Portuguese in 1511, followed by the Dutch in 1641 before finally resting in the hands of the British in 1824 until Independence on 31 August 1957.

Historically, Kuala Linggi has been hailed as a maritime trading port ever since the 14th century due to its strategic location within close proximity of the Malacca Straits. The name “Kuala Linggi” is derived from the Linggi River, where the word “Linggi” mean “stem” in the Bugis language referring to the bow of a ship where the timber sits between the forward end of the keel and the deck.

The year 2006 marked the birth of a dedicated industrial port, the first and largest of its kind in this region. The port operator, TAG Marine Sdn Bhd (TMSB) received the approval to conduct the said services from the Ministry of Transport. 

The gazetted port limit covered an area of 9 x 5 nautical miles (45 sq. nm) equivalent to 18 x 10 km = 180 sq. km at sea off the coast of Kuala Sungai Linggi. 

Within the port limit is the Designated Transfer Area (DTA) measuring 5 x 2 nm (10 sq. nm) or 10 x 4 km = 40 sq. km. This area can take up to 13 very large crude carriers (VLCCs) to carry out transshipment of liquid cargo at any one time and still have an ample sea room for maneuvering.

In 2017, following the success of the offshore seaport here, the Government granted an extension of the KLIP port limit to an area equivalent to 30 km long and 10 km at its widest.

In reaching for greater heights and building upon the achievements to date, KLIP is set to offer a myriad of marine services with the extension of the seaport by developing an onshore industrial port. Linggi Base Sdn Bhd (LBSB), the port developer, will develop a 620-acre port to meet market demand in the maritime business.

This development will realise KLIP’s holistic offerings as a sustainable industrial port, bunkering hub and port of refuge situated on the busy Straits of Malacca.

OUR MILESTONES