Transport Ministry working to enhance Port Klang's role as regional transshipment hub

Its minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said that among the government's efforts to strengthen the port's role was the meeting held with MSC, Maersk, CMA-CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd during the recent one-week working visit to Europe, which was aimed at encouraging these renowned shipping lines to boost their investments as well as presence in Malaysia.

"The meeting has produced exciting results and I am confident that in a few years to come, the shipping lines will have a larger presence in Malaysia, especially at Port Klang and also the Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Johor.

"We have plans to further strengthen Port Klang's role as a leading Asean transshipment hub and this obviously requires cooperation from all quarters in order to boost the port's competitiveness," he said in his speech at the Port Klang Authority's (PKA) 60th anniversary gala celebration here last night.

Meanwhile, at the national level, the Malaysian Maritime Single Window (MMSW) is being actively developed for implementation by Jan 1, 2024, as per the mandatory requirement of the International Maritime Organisation, Loke said.

He said MMSW is a central digital database that ensures information flow at one's fingertips and represents an added value to port users, logistics industry players and government agencies for the facilitation of maritime transport.

"The one-stop portal is expected to help in resolving the issue of information duplication among various agencies. It will be able to process international trade activities and reduce waiting time for cargo clearance, lower business cost, and increase competitiveness and efficiency," he said.

Loke said that in terms of capacity, the KPA plans to expand its container handling capacity by 13 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) within 10 years through the development of Westports 2, which includes the construction of a 5km jetty, complete with the latest facilities.

"In terms of long-term plans, the proposed development of a third port (in the Port Klang area) on Carey Island, Kuala Langat, will provide an additional capacity of 30 million TEUs in 25 years," he said.