The port was named the best container terminal in Asia for ports handling containers below 4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the second time it has won the award.

At the AFSCA Award gala event in Shanghai, China, the port was chosen for its leadership demonstration, consistency in service quality, innovation as well as customer relationship management and reliability.

It was also cited for usefulness of its product range, container handling rates, timely and adequate investments, effective use of IT systems and also efficient turnaround of trucks delivering or picking up containers at the port.

Managing director Datuk Basheer Hassan Abdul Kader said Northport is delighted.

“The award serves to reinforce the industry’s perception of the unrivalled standard and quality of service and performance that we offer at the Northport.

“Northport has been consistent in enhancing its perfomance to meet high user expectations by focusing on good value for money” said Basheer Hassan in a statement.

Total traffic at Northport jumped to 1.37 million TEUs in the first five months of this year from 1.07 million TEUs for the corresponding period in 2009.

Traffic in indigenous container volumes consisting of exports and imports rose 21 per cent to 411,438 TEUs together with a 41 per cent increase in transshipment totalling 348,824 TEUs and gains of 3.11 million tonnes in the handling of conventional cargo.

The awards attracted more than 12,200 readers of the Hong Kong-based shipping publication Cargonews Asia to select best-in-class companies in 42 industry-specific category by polling.