GAC Malaysia is expanding its operations in East Malaysia with the opening of a new office in Kota Kinabalu, boosting its presence in the region to provide solutions to the evolving needs of the shipping and energy sectors.

The full-range logistics services provider in Southeast Asia said the new office would be its 14th and will work in close cooperation with its Labuan office in the eastern state of Sabah and provide a wide range of shipping and logistics solutions, including ship agency, bunker fuels and husbandry services, as well as bespoke logistics, warehousing and distribution operations.

 [Source: GAC]

The opening of the Kota Kinabalu base follows the recent collaboration between Petronas Carigali (PCSB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia’s state-owned energy giant Petronas, and the state government of Sabah over the operation of the Samarang offshore oil & gas (O&G) field.

The Samarang field, 50 km off the coast of Sabah, produces approximately 36,000 barrels of O&G equivalent per day and 134 million standard cubic feet per day of gas.

The fuel is used to support the energy needs of customers in Kota Kinabalu and Labuan.

"Sabah is poised for major growth, most notably in its energy sector. This expansion will complement our operations in Labuan, fortify our presence in East Malaysia and enable us to be a critical part of the development in Sabah," said Herman Jorgensen, managing director of GAC Malaysia.

Daniel Nordberg, GAC's Group Vice President, Asia Pacific & Indian Subcontinent, noted that the new office in Kota Kinabalu is a testament to GAC's commitment and confidence in the Malaysian market, where it has been providing services for almost 30 years.

"As a leading shipping and logistics service provider with an established foothold in Malaysia, GAC is well-placed to tap into the multitude of opportunities that Sabah presents," he said.

Future expansion in Malaysia

GAC noted future expansions in Malaysia.

It said that the Malaysian freight and logistics market is estimated to be worth US$26.35 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach US$35.10 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.9% in that period, citing data from Indian market research firm, Mordor Intelligence.

In a bid to support this forecast growth, GAC Malaysia said it has plans to open more offices in Kuantan and Yan on the Malaysian Peninsular.

"Malaysia's shipping and logistics sector is on the rise, driven by rising demand from local manufacturing industries," Herman said.

"We are looking to support the country's growth by providing our industry-leading services to our customers using Malaysia's ports and logistics hubs, both now and in future."

Herman noted that GAC's customer-service first and on-the-ground approach will ensure we are best placed to provide efficient and timely services to support shipping and logistics operations.