ASEAN Ports Association Malaysia (MAPA)

THE delayed RM55.4mil Port Swettenham expansion project will be completed in September, says Penang Port Commission (PPC) chairman Tan Cheng Liang.

She says PPC is managing the project, which is 86% completed.

“The main building, now 99% completed, will accommodate shops, a Customs inspection and quarantine centre, and sufficient space for 40 taxis and five buses to pick up passengers.

“After that, the main contractor (of the project) will have to issue a two-year warranty for the entire project,” she told a press conference yesterday.

Tan Cheng Liang with an artist’s impression of the extended Port Swettenham pier.

The expansion, to enable international cruise liners with over 3,000 passengers to berth at Port Swettenham, was originally scheduled for completion by November 2007, 18 months after it kicked off in May 2006.

Due to technical problems related to design and finance faced by the main contractor, PPC extended the deadline to late last year.

“Since they were still not able to meet the extended deadline, PPC has decided to manage the project jointly with the main contractor.

“This will allow PPC to deal directly with the sub-contractors. We will use some new sub-contractors to complete the more specialised aspects of the expansion,” she said.

Tan adds that another option would be to terminate the main contractor and re-tender the whole project.

“This would take time and cost the Federal Government a further RM21mil.

“The approach that we are taking offers the best solution as it ensures the port redevelopment will be ready soon to help boost the local tourism industry,” she said.

By DAVID TAN

On 4 April 2005, Kuching Port Authority celebrated its 44th anniversary. KPA’s Chairman, YB Awang Bemee Bin Haji Pengiran Ali Basah, accompanied by General Manager, Madam Liu Moi Fong and Assistant General Manager, Mr. Rosli Saup attended for the function. Others present included KPA’s Deputy Chairman, Mr. Kong Ping Kung, Board Members and senior staff of Kuching Port Authority. To commemorate the auspicious event, a total of 27 staff received certificates of excellence for the exemplary work in year 2002. To all the members of Kuching Port Authority, the 44th anniversary celebration is indeed a very meaningful. It took hard work and effort to achieve what we see today. Since its operation which first started in 1961, for over forty years now KPA never stops to develop. From a single wharf at Tanah Puteh with an annual capacity of 350,000 tonnes to Pending with an annual capacity of 2.9 million tonnes and now to Senari with an annual capacity of 7.0 million tonnes, KPA aims to doing better and giving better services to cutomers.

Historically, Kuching started the import and export activities at Ban Hock Wharf as early as 1948. In order to have port facilities for trading and economic advancement of the state, Kuching Port Authority (KPA) as set up at Tanah Puteh. It became the first organized port in Sarawak, serving the state and the people, and had grown tremendously over the past four decades. Officially establised on 4 April 1961, KPA began operation on 5 June 1961 at Tanah Puteh with a single wharf of 800 feet in length and storage space of 60,000 square feet. Towards the end of 1972, KPA assumed full control and operation of the Biawak Oil Jetty, which was mainly used by tug boats to carry petroleum products to the nearby Shell and Esso installations.

By 1975, with the completion of main facilities under the Port Expansion Project Pahse 1, it was declared open and commenced operation on 16 March 1975, named Datuk Sim Kheng Hong Wharf. Twelve years later, port expansion Project Phase II was completed. Thus, the Pending Terminal was declared open on 8 September 1988. In 1989, KPA launched its first computer system and became the first Malaysian Port Authority to have its container Tracking Systems accorded the MS ISO 9002 certification on 12 August 1998. On 24 November 1999, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, tun Datuk Patinggi Dr. Mahathir Mohamed declared open the Senari Terminal. The migration of container operation from the Pending Terminal to Senari Terminal was completed in June 2001.

On 27 April 2004, KPA e-Port Community system was launched, where KPA is extending its services electronically through the web. This service aimed to facilitate paperless documentation, thus improving the efficiency of the overall logistic supply chain; at the same time reducing operating cost. it plays a major role in improving efficiency, speed, productivity and effectiveness of the port business. On the other hand, the Marine Department of Malaysia had also certified KPA to be compliant with the International Ship & Port Seciruty (ISPS) Code with effect from 1 July 2004. This placed KPA on an international footing for all foreign vessels to have confidence in KPA’s security measures. It is also a testimony if KPA’s commitment to provide a secure and safe environment for all port users and creates a more comprehensive of threats.

Kuching Port Authority recorded tonnage of 7.1 million tonnes of cargo handled in year 2004 and the number is expected to escalate in 2005.

By: Kuching Port Authority