Container Throughput Likely to Contract
Port Klang's container throughput is expected to contract by 10 per cent this year, from a 12 per cent growth in 2008, as the global economic crisis hits the country's imports and exports.
Port Klang, which comprises Northport and Westports, handled 7.97 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) last year. Westports handled 4.97 million TEUs, up 15.2 per cent from 4.31 million TEUs in 2007, while Northport's cargo volume grew by 7.1 per cent to 3 million TEUs.
Port Klang Authority (PKA) general manager Lim Thean Shiang said this year's contraction would see throughput fall to levels experienced in 2007 to 7.118 million TEUs.
"We are looking at various measures to sustain the volume at our ports. One of them is coming up with free storage time for exporters and importers to consolidate their cargoes before transferring them.
"This is something the port authority is looking at per se and not the port operators (Northport and Westports)," Lim told a news conference to announce the 2008 container throughput numbers of Port Klang yesterday.
Both Westports and Northport saw a 16 per cent decline in container movement in January 2009.
Lim said the decision to continue with the feeder incentive was also made based on current economic sentiments.
PKA will announce a set of pre-qualification criteria for feeder operators to determine the legitimacy of the operations come April 1 2009.
The regulator will lift the freeze on the incentives given to feeder operators last October, and provide "back-pay "to those whom qualify for the incentives.
PKA has disbursed some RM37 million in incentives to feeder operators since 2001.
"The important thing is that these incentives help to generate the volume that Port Klang needs to grow," Lim said.
Meanwhile,Malaysian ports handled a total container throughput of 16.4 million TEUs last year, up 7.2 per cent from 2007.
Last year, Port Klang was ranked the 15th busiest container port in the world, up from the 16th spot in 2007.
On the issue of the three-day free storage period, Lim said while the ruling has been implemented, there is a blanket waiver for parties which are genuinely unable to comply with the ruling.
Port Klang, which comprises Northport and Westports, handled 7.97 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) last year. Westports handled 4.97 million TEUs, up 15.2 per cent from 4.31 million TEUs in 2007, while Northport's cargo volume grew by 7.1 per cent to 3 million TEUs.
Port Klang Authority (PKA) general manager Lim Thean Shiang said this year's contraction would see throughput fall to levels experienced in 2007 to 7.118 million TEUs.
"We are looking at various measures to sustain the volume at our ports. One of them is coming up with free storage time for exporters and importers to consolidate their cargoes before transferring them.
"This is something the port authority is looking at per se and not the port operators (Northport and Westports)," Lim told a news conference to announce the 2008 container throughput numbers of Port Klang yesterday.
Both Westports and Northport saw a 16 per cent decline in container movement in January 2009.
Lim said the decision to continue with the feeder incentive was also made based on current economic sentiments.
PKA will announce a set of pre-qualification criteria for feeder operators to determine the legitimacy of the operations come April 1 2009.
The regulator will lift the freeze on the incentives given to feeder operators last October, and provide "back-pay "to those whom qualify for the incentives.
PKA has disbursed some RM37 million in incentives to feeder operators since 2001.
"The important thing is that these incentives help to generate the volume that Port Klang needs to grow," Lim said.
Meanwhile,Malaysian ports handled a total container throughput of 16.4 million TEUs last year, up 7.2 per cent from 2007.
Last year, Port Klang was ranked the 15th busiest container port in the world, up from the 16th spot in 2007.
On the issue of the three-day free storage period, Lim said while the ruling has been implemented, there is a blanket waiver for parties which are genuinely unable to comply with the ruling.
by Presenna Nambiar (source: www.btimes.com.my)
