It will institute measures to reinforce its authority as port regulator
PORT KLANG: Port Klang Authority (PKA) has come out with four proactive initiatives to further boost the efficiency and businesses at terminals and its supporting industry.
Its new general manager Kee Lian Yong said PKA would institute necessary measures to reinforce its authority as a port regulator and play a positive role in safeguarding the interest of all players in the industry. “First is the registration of all necessary logistics players in Port Klang to ensure efficiency and cooperation.
“We will also have to continue monitoring the performance of the ports closely to ensure compliance on the efficiency and performance at the ports are maintained and at par with international standards.
“Next, all direct port activities and ancillary services within the port limit should be licensed where PKA has taken steps to license and regulate private jetty operators.
“So far, PKA has approved 20 private jetty operations based on the merit that they will contribute and complement trade growth here.
“Finally, PKA is enforcing enhanced security and safety within the port limit and pilotage district where it has ugraded the Vessel Traffic Management System which now includes the Automatic Identification System in line with the International Maritime Organisation’s safety of life at sea convention,” he told reporters at a briefing on PKA’s strategies for growth and improved services yesterday.
Kee added that Port Klang was also equipped with scanners at both Northport and Westports together with megaport initiatives with the US Customs.
Kee said PKA would also set out a strategic port master plan which would map out the direction of Port Klang for short- and long-term planning for the next 10 to 20 years.
The current port master plan expires next year.
He said the prospect of strengthening Port Klang’s competitiveness could be via better cooperation between the two terminals.
“Whilst healthy competition is encouraged, I believe there’s room for enhanced cooperation between the two that will lead to better services for port users, optimisation of port capacity and mutual long-term benefit for the industry as well as the nation,” he said.
PKA is the trade facilitator, regulator and landlord of the terminals in Port Klang.
To further enhance the port’s efficiency, Kee said PKA’s effort to deepen and widen the south entrance to Port Klang was 60% to 70% completed.
The dredging project will see a deeper south entrance of 16.5m from 15.5m previously, and width of 500m from 365m previously.
“The RM100mil project is set to be completed by December,” he said.
In terms of container volume, Kee said the volume in the second quarter of this year showed significant improvement of 7.8% quarter-on-quarter, reflecting signs of recovery going foward.
“But, the container throughput declined by 15.4% in the first six months this year against the same period last year.
“Hence, Port Klang’s full year volume is expected to contract by 10% this year against 7.9 million twenty-foot equivalent units in 2008.
“From the positive indications, we hope to fare better next year,” he said.
Additional initiatives according to Kee would include gearing the industry for the implementation of reduction of free storage period for import and export containers at the terminals to three days effective Jan 1. The free storage time at present is five days.
Kee said PKA would also step in to resolve issues in the industry such as depot gate charges and feeder incentive scheme.
On Port Klang Free Zone, Kee said PKA would announce its business turnaround plan in two months after securing approval from relevant stakeholders.
Kee, who is an accountant by profession with about 25 years of experience in the corporate world, took the helm of PKA two months ago replacing former general manager Lim Thean Shiang.
THE government is exploring the possibility of using a private finance initiative (PFI) model to deepen the north channel of Penang Port.
