ASEAN Ports Association Malaysia (MAPA)

Malaysian ports handled 16.6 per cent more containers in the first 10 months of this year compared with the same period in 2009, reflecting a recovery in both domestic and transhipment cargo.

Container traffic at the 11 major ports rose to 15.3 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) from 13.1 million in the periods reviewed.

In a statement, Transport Minister Kong Cho Ha said transhipment traffic was up 17 per cent. Transhipment cargo is that which arrives in the country and is transferred to another ship before continuing to its final destination.

Export containers showed a 17.6 per cent increase, while import traffic rose 14.1 per cent.

Port Klang, comprising Northport and Westports, solidified its position as the busiest container port in the country, with nearly half or 48.5 per cent share of the total number of containers handled by all Malaysian ports.

Its container throughput rose 24.8 per cent in the January-October 2010 period compared with the same period in 2009.

It moved 7.43 million TEUs against 5.95 million TEUs before.

More than half or 61.7 per cent of Port Klang’s container volume was from Westports, which generated 4.58 million TEUs. Northport accounted for the remaining 38.3 per cent or 2.85 million 20-foot equivalent units.

The Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Johor continued to be the second largest container port, handling 35.2 per cent of the country’s total throughput in the period.

Its container throughput rose 8.8 per cent to 5.38 million TEUs against 4.95 million TEUs before.

Kong said since container throughput in every Malaysia’s port was growing, his ministry was confident that the total throughput will reach 18.4 million TEUs by year-end.

Earlier this year, the total container throughput of Malaysian ports was projected to be 17.7 million TEUs for 2010, but the figure was later revised upwards following the better-than-expected performance in the last few months.

The country’s ports handled 16 million TEUs in 2009.

NCB Holdings Bhd’s direct subsidiary, Northport (Malaysia) Bhd, is expected to register an increased cargo volume of between 10 per cent and 15 per cent this year.

Northport Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Basheer Hassan said the company sees an increase in both the container and cargo business segments amid an improving economy.

“Northport registered a total volume of 2.858 million TEUs in 2009, a decrease of five per cent compared to 3.006 million previously,” Basheer told reporters after NCB Holdings” annual general meeting (AGM), in Petaling Jaya today.

He said the container mix at Northport stood at 50 per cent for both import and export containers.

Transshipment containers made up 38.6 per cent of the total volumed handled by Northport.

Under the conventional cargo business, Northport handled a combined volume of 6.53 million freight weight tonnes (FWT) last year.

Meanwhile, NCB Holdings Group”s chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said Northport continued to be the leading gateway for indigenous trade, handling 58.6 per cent of the country”s import and export volume passing through Port Klang.

He said the total volume of containers under all classes handled through Port Klang during 2009 was 7,309,779 TEUs, reflecting a decline of 8.3 per cent compared with 7,973,579 TEUs recorded in 2008.

On the planned construction of Wharf 8A, Ahmad Sarji said the group remained ready to re-activate the plan.

It would be to meet its customers’ demand for enhanced capacity to service their growth in business.

“Given the current growth, we are quite optimistic that we need to expand the capacity. This was held back in 2009 in the last quarter because of economic downturn.”

With the indication of growth now, it would be sustainable to invest, said Basheer.

He said Northport will call for tender in one or two weeks for building of the wharf.

The size of the wharf will be 300 meters in length and 17 meters in depth.

This will allow ships to berth at any one time there, he added. — Bernama

Malaysian ports handled 10 per cent more containers in the second quarter of the year compared to the first, reflecting a recovery in both domestic and transhipment cargo.

Container traffic at the 10 major ports rose to 3.79 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) from 3.44 million in the periods reviewed.

Transhipment traffic, comprising almost two-thirds of the total, was up 11 per cent to 2.48 million TEUs from 2.22 million. Transhipment cargo is that which arrives in the country and is transferred to another ship before continuing to its final destination.

Export containers showed a 10.2 per cent increase to 670,718 TEUs, while import traffic rose 4.4 per cent to 640,469 TEUs.

In the January-June period, however, container throughput fell 7.7 per cent to 7.24 million TEUs from the first half of last year. Cargo tonnage was down 11.6 per cent to 168,806 tonnes.

The Transport Ministry’s special maritime adviser, Datuk Captain Abdul Rahim Abd. Aziz, said the drop in first half container volume was in line with the performance of other ports in the Asean region, which saw 15-30 per cent declines.

“For instance, ports in the Philippines reported a decline in cargo volume of an average 20.6 per cent in the first half, while Vietnam’s port container throughput was down between 14 per cent and 30 per cent and Thailand, an average drop of 35 per cent,” he told Business Times in an interview.

“While container traffic seemed to have stabilised in the second quarter, port operators in Asean remain uncertain whether the market has hit bottom.

“At the recent Asean Ports Association (APA) working committee meeting in Kota Kinabalu, the most optimistic prediction of a recovery was from the middle of 2010,” said Abdul Rahim, who is also the APA working committee chairman.

To survive the current economic downturn, port operators have resorted to various cost-cutting strategies, including sending fewer employees overseas for trips or meetings and deferring purchases of new equipment, he added.

Port Klang, comprising Northport and Westports, solidified its position as the largest container port in the country.

Its container throughput rose 7.8 per cent in the second quarter compared to the first three months. It moved 1.73 million TEUs against 1.6 million before.

Transhipment volume was 996,508 TEUs, up 4.6 per cent from the first three months, and 57.7 per cent of Port Klang’s total throughput.

The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Johor continued to be the second largest container port, handling 1.47 million TEUs in the second quarter.

It recorded 17.6 per cent growth from 1.25 million TEUs in the first quarter, with 94.4 per cent of all volume coming from transhipment.

Bintulu Port saw 16 per cent growth to 57,895 TEUs from 49,875 in the first quarter.

Johor Port handled 216,744 TEUs in the second quarter, up 7.3 per cent from 201,915 in the first, thanks to the increase in transhipment and export cargo.

Penang Port was the only port to record a decline in the quarters reviewed, down 24.2 per cent to 151,165 TEUs from 199,391.

By : Kang Siew Li

Within the kaleidoscope of fast changing global logistics scenario, Penang Port Sdn Bhd has formulated a strategic approach to serve our customers at the peak level, in line with our new corporate vision to make Penang Port to be the PREMIER PORT AND LOGISTICS CHAIN INTEGRATOR IN THE REGION.

Under New Business Plan, for container operations, the North Butterworth Container Terminal will be expanding by another 600 meters to accommodate seven vessels at any one time.  The north channel entrance will also be dredged to 13.5 meters from the current depth of 11.5 meters to accommodate bigger drafted vessels.

In addition, the port is also planning a 1500 meter storage deck located directly to the back of the present berth.  This will enhance the handling of export containers and improve port productivity performance by up to 30%.  This deck will be able to handle 873,900 teus and together with the current capacity of 961,300 teus, total yard capacity at the port will be 1,835,200.

The new expansion plan will be equipped with six new super post panamax gantry cranes and 15 rubber tyred gantry cranes.  These new superstructures and equipment will certainly enhance our strategy of being supply driven port instead of being driven by demand.  With these new developments in plan, productivity at the port will be increased, with a new target of at 35 teus moves per hour.  The cost of construction is expected to be RM380.7 million.

Penang Port Sdn Bhd also has formulated a strategic approach to provide information services in tandem the company’s long term business plan, PELKON III, PPSB’s newest container terminal management system was official launched on 1 September 2006.  The objective is to make the port intelligent and move to   the paperless era with a host of new features and functionalities that will enable port customers to do business in an easier and faster way.

In the pipe line after marina project completion, is the development an international cruise passenger terminal at Swettenham Pier, that is estimated to cost RM65 million.  The project is already kicks off in May 2006 and targeted to complete in 2007.  The present Swettenham Pier will be upgraded as world class cruise terminal to revitalize the Georgetown Waterfront.  The scope of work involves the redeveloped of Swettenham Pier into an ultra-modern international cruise Terminal with a T-shaped berth 450 meters long and 9 meters deep.  Upon completion, the berth will be able to cater for cruise vessel carrying more than 2,000 passengers.

We believe that with these developments in place, we will be able to fulfill our customer’s expectations, thereby strengthening our market position and company performance.  Thus enhancing our capability to make Penang Port Sdn Bhd a truly regional huh for the Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand growth triangle.