22-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Mutiara Perlis invests RM17mil in Kalmar equipment to boost inland port
KUALA LUMPUR: Mutiara Perlis has announced an investment worth RM17 million to buy 15 brand-new Kalmar container handling equipment through its appointed partner Mach 1 Group.
The partnership marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration aimed at transforming Perlis Inland Port (PIP) into a future ready logistics hub for Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region.
The equipment package includes six Kalmar reach stackers, three empty container handlers and six terminal tractors, tailored to meet the operational demands of multimodal cargo movement at PIP.
With this new fleet, Mutiara Perlis is poised to multiply its cargo handling capacity, supporting its goal of reaching one million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually upon full project completion.
"This acquisition is a pivotal step in our journey to position PIP as a leader in inland port services," Mutiara Perlis group managing director and chief executive officer Wan Ahmad Zaheed Wan Mohamad said in a statement.
"We are not just investing in equipment, we are investing in Malaysia's logistics future and Perlis' transformation," he added.
PIP is strategically located within the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) and adjacent to the Malaysia-Thailand border.
It is envisioned as a regional logistics game-changer, linking trade routes from Malaysia to Thailand, Laos and China via the Pan-Asia Railway Network.
The procurement was executed through Mach 1, the authorised dealer of Kalmar in Malaysia since 2023, known for its regional expertise and proven track record in port operations. The machines were purchased from Kalmar in 2024.
Mach 1 Group chief executive officer Pan Chee Seng reaffirmed that the 24/7 technical assistance, Kalmar Insight fleet analytics and a spare parts hub in Singapore will ensure PIP operates at world-class standards.
Kalmar vice president for Asia-Middle East & Africa (AMEA) Teo Yew Boon said the company's innovation in container handling solutions will provide PIP with a robust and scalable platform to grow in line with global port trends.
"This collaboration signifies the beginning of a long-term partnership focused on scalable, customer-centric solutions that meet today's operational demands and tomorrow's regional ambitions.
"Through this collaboration, we aim to support PIP's rise as a key logistics hub in the Northern Corridor, delivering smarter, more sustainable material handling solutions," Teo added.
Phase 1 of the Perlis Inland Port is scheduled for completion in July 2025 and is expected to handle up to 300,000 TEUs annually, more than double the current throughput of 130,000 TEUs at the nearby Padang Besar Container Terminal.
The project is poised to generate over 500 new jobs, enhance regional trade connectivity and ease congestion at Malaysia's overstretched coastal ports.
It will also anchor Perlis as a key player within the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER).
