Kaya Shipyard Sdn Bhd is expanding its vessel construction, repair and maintenance capacity in Sabah with RM19.39 million in financing from MBSB Bank Bhd.
The financing supports the shipyard’s expansion at Sepanggar Bay, Kota Kinabalu, including new infrastructure, vessel-handling equipment, additional piers, and jetty facilities.
Among the investments is a 500-tonne Travel Lift Crane, which is expected to improve the shipyard’s ability to handle vessels and reduce turnaround times for repair and maintenance work.
The Phase 2 expansion will also increase the shipyard’s capacity to handle vessel construction, repair and maintenance activities as demand from Sabah’s fisheries and marine sectors grows.
Established in 1994, Kaya Shipyard specialises in vessel construction, dockyard operations, maintenance and repairs, particularly for fishing vessels.
The company was approved by the Ministry of Fisheries in 2023 under the Program Pemodenan Vesel dan Mekanisasi Tangkapan, which aims to modernise Malaysia’s fishing fleet through safer and more efficient vessels.
MBSB Group Chief Executive Officer Rafe Haneef said supporting infrastructure such as facilities that build, repair and maintain vessels was important to the fisheries and maritime industries.
“The continued growth of Malaysia’s fisheries and maritime industries depends on the strength of the supporting infrastructure behind them. Facilities that build, repair and maintain vessels are an important part of that ecosystem, particularly in Sabah where fisheries activity remains a significant contributor to economic development,” he said.
The Department of Fisheries Malaysia reported that the fisheries sector contributed RM11.8 billion to Malaysia’s gross domestic product in 2024.
