Port Klang Still Malaysia’s No. 1 Container Port

By Kang Siew Li

PORT Klang’s container throughput rose 8.7 per cent in the first quarter of this year from the previous year, solidifying its position as the largest container port in Malaysia.

Port Klang, comprising Northport and Westports, achieved a throughput of 1.60 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) in the first three monthsof 2007 compared with 1.47 million TEUs in the same period of 2006.

Of the throughput handled by Port Klang, Westports accounted for the largest proportion, at 60.9 per cent, while Northport represented the remaining 39.1 per cent.

Total transhipment volume for the first three months was 934,287 TEUs, up 13.3 per cent against the same period last year.

It represented 58.2 per cent of Port Klang’s total throughput.

Export volume grew 6.5 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter, with a total of 334,524 TEUs being handled.

Import volume was 334,554 TEUs, down 0.3 per cent year-on-year.

Port Klang Authority chairman Datuk Yap Pian Hon attributed the increase in throughput to efforts being made by both Northport and Westports to attract more shipping lines to call at Port Klang as well as to encourage existing shipping lines to increase usage of the port facilities.

The port also benefited from a healthy growth in the country’s trade, he added.

“Container throughput for the whole year is expected to reach seven million TEUs, from 6.3 million TEUs in 2006,” Yap told Business Times in an interview.

Westports’ throughput reached 976,832 TEUs in the first quarter of this year, up 13.5 per cent from 860,419 TEUs a year ago. Northport handled a total of 626,533 TEUs, a marginal two per cent growth from 614,151 TEUs.

Meanwhile, Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Johor remained as the country’s second-largest container port after Port Klang with a total of 1.34 million TEUs being handled in the first quarter.

It recorded a buoyant growth of 32.8 per cent from 1.01 million TEUs in the same period last year.

The growth was attributed to an increase in volume by Maersk Sealand and Evergreen Marine Corp, a new MISC Halal Express service calling at PTP, additional vessel capacity due to the entry of larger vessels and an increase in PTP Free Zone volume.

Percentage-wise, Bintulu Port was the fastest growing port in the country with a growth of 41 per cent to 55,530 TEUs against 39,400 TEUs in the same period last year.

The growth was due to an increase in transhipment and export volumes.

Kuantan Port also saw an increase of eight per cent to 30,861 TEUs for the three-month period, compared with 28,593 TEUs a year ago. Its cargo volume reached 445,239 tonnes, up nine per cent from 406,882 tonnes.

For the first quarter, Johor Port handled 212,133 TEUs, up 10 per cent compared with 193,344 TEUs in the same period last year, thanks to the rapid growth of transhipment cargo.

(c) 2007 New Straits Times. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.