Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Sabah and the main destination for shipping vehicles from Peninsular Malaysia. The Sapangar Bay Container Port, located about 25 km from the KK city centre, serves as the main terminal for receiving cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles shipped by sea.
About Kota Kinabalu Port (Sapangar Bay)
Sapangar Bay Container Port is operated by Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd and is the largest container port in Sabah. The port receives cargo vessels from Port Klang weekly, including RoRo vessels carrying vehicles.
- Location: Sapangar Bay, about 25 km from the Kota Kinabalu city centre
- Operator: Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd (a subsidiary of Suria Capital Holdings)
- Facilities: Container terminal, RoRo area, customs office, vehicle storage yard
- Access: Near the Kota Kinabalu–Tuaran Highway, easily reached from KK city
Shipping Routes to Kota Kinabalu
All vehicle shipments to Kota Kinabalu begin from Port Klang (Westport/Northport) in Selangor.
Port Klang → Kota Kinabalu
4-6 days
RM 2,480
Johor Bahru → Kota Kinabalu
5-7 days
RM 3,030
Pulau Pinang → Kota Kinabalu
5-7 days
RM 3,030
Kuala Lumpur → Kota Kinabalu
5-7 days
RM 2,730
The Vehicle Receiving Process in Kota Kinabalu
- The vessel arrives at Sapangar Bay — After a 4-6 day voyage from Port Klang, the vessel docks at the Sapangar Bay terminal.
- Vehicle unloading — Vehicles are unloaded from the RoRo vessel via a ramp or removed from the container using port equipment.
- Customs clearance — Our agent in Kota Kinabalu handles all customs and JPJ documentation. This process takes 1-2 working days.
- Vehicle inspection — The vehicle is inspected and its condition recorded after the voyage. Any issues are covered by marine insurance.
- Handover to the owner — You can collect the vehicle at the Kota Kinabalu yard, or we deliver it to your address via a local jockey drive service.
Other Destinations in Sabah from Kota Kinabalu
Once the vehicle arrives in Kota Kinabalu, we can also arrange onward shipping to other towns in Sabah:
- Sandakan — ~6 hours' drive from KK, or transit via a coastal vessel
- Tawau — ~8 hours' drive from KK
- Lahad Datu — ~7 hours' drive from KK
- Keningau — ~2.5 hours' drive from KK through the Sabah interior
- Beaufort — ~2 hours' drive from KK
For more information on all Sabah routes, visit the Sabah car shipping service page.
