ASEAN Ports Association Malaysia (MAPA)

PORT KLANG: Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Westports), operator of the country’s busiest port, is looking at the overseas market to expand its business beyond Malaysia via partnerships.

Its chief executive officer, Ruben Emir Gnanalingam, said Westports was looking at a few potential markets particularly South East Asian countries and India to expand its container business.

He said despite the slowing down of demand in Europe, US and China, the fast emerging markets such as India, Africa and Middle East countries were continuing their growth.

“We are always looking for opportunities beyond Malaysia and are often in talks with various parties but todate we do not have any concrete development on that yet,” he said.

He said talks were still at the early stages and the group was now getting to know its potential partners.

Westports’ core business is container operations and its major clients include the CMA CGM group, China Shipping and United Arab Shipping Corp.

Ruben Emir said Westports will spend about RM500 million in 2013 to improve its current facility and provide better services to its clients.

“We are currently constructing the 300-metre and 600-metre wharfs which are to be ready by January 2013 and early 2014 respectively.”

He added that the port hoped to see positive improvements in both performance and productivity, especially in container operations, once the wharfs are completed.

“Our current capacity is 8.5 million TEUs and we will be able to reach 10 million TEUs capacity with the completion of the two wharfs in 2014.”

The wharfs will come along with crane and corresponding yacht equipment.

“The improvement for the yacht equipment is that we are moving towards electric based equipment from fuel based equipment,” he added. Bernama

WESTPORTS Malaysia Sdn Bhd, operator of the country’s busiest port, expects to see growth in its business for next year despite the gloomy global economy.

Its chief executive Ruben Emir Gnanalingam said despite the global economic crisis and news of the European economy in recession, consumption worldwide is increasing.

He said Westports’ cargo volume is growing due to rising demand in India and other African and West Asian countries.

“Although the economic outlook is not so good for most of the world, consumption is increasing and cargoes need to be moved from the countries manufacturing them to countries that consume them. So there is a lot of growth,” Ruben Emir said.

Westports’ core business is container operations and its major clients are CMA CGM group, China Shipping and United Arab Shipping Corp.

He said Westports is confident of handling seven million TEUs of container cargo this year.

“I think we have hit six million TEUs and so, with one million TEUS more before year-end, I think we should be almost touching it,” Ruben Emir said.
Last year, Westports handled 6.4 million TEUs.

However, he said Westports hopes to achieve eight to 10 million TEUs once its additional 300m berths and 600m berths are completed by 2014. Bernama