KUALA LUMPUR: Tanco Holdings Bhd, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Tanco Builders Sdn Bhd (TBSB), signed a heads of agreement (HOA) with CCCC Dredging Southeast Asia Sdn Bhd (CDSA), a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), one of the world’s largest port and marine engineering groups.
According to the Bursa filing, the HoA establishes the framework for considering CDSA’s appointment as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the seaport component of Tanco’s Smart AI container port in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.
The EPC works carry a maximum contract value of RM3.53 billion, subject to final design, costing, and commercial terms.
The seaport component is expected to be constructed within three and a half years once work commences.
CDSA is a wholly owned subsidiary of CCCC Dredging Group Co Ltd, known globally for major marine engineering projects, including the Yangshan deep-water port and Colombo Port City.
The HoA requires CDSA to prepare detailed engineering studies, reclamation and piling methodologies, marine structure designs, costing supported by external benchmarking, and compliance plans aligned with Malaysian and international port standards.
They are to be developed and finalised within the stipulated timeframe.
This update follows an earlier MoU signed between Midports Holdings Sdn Bhd and COSCO Shipping Ports Ltd, under which COSCO has expressed its intention to operate the Smart AI Container Port upon completion.
Tanco’s Smart AI container port is one of the anchor projects within Malaysia Vision Valley 2.0 (MVV2.0).
It has been tabled to the National Physical Planning Council (MPFN) as a National Strategic Priority Project, enabling streamlined inter-agency coordination and alignment with the National Physical Plan.
The port’s design incorporates AI-driven automation, smart logistics and green port technologies, and deep-water marine infrastructure to support next-generation container vessels.
Tanco’s Smart AI container port is expected to catalyse downstream economic activities, including logistics facilities, industrial zones, value-added services, and the creation of high-skilled jobs.
