MAJOR EXPANSION: Port Klang is undergoing rapid growth and is expected to become one of the most important and busiest container ports globally.
KOTA KINABALU: Port Klang is undergoing rapid growth and is expected to become one of the most important and busiest container ports globally, achieving at least a 10th place ranking in the near future, said Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri.
He said last year, Port Klang saw a surge in the handling of containers, with a 21.4 per cent jump to 8.87 million TEU’s from the 7.3 million in 2009.
“This performance left Port Klang in 13th spot amongst the biggest container ports in the world, beating Antwerp and Hamburg into 14th and 15th place respectively, as well as the Port of Los Angeles in 16th spot.
“This impressive rise is closely associated with the presence of the United Arab Shipping Corporation Consortium, comprising shipping companies of Arab countries, which have made Port Klang a key ‘transshipment hub’ for the region,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
Abdul Rahim said last year, the consortium moved 339,000 TEUs, an increase from the 65,000 TEUs previously. He said the activity was encouraged by the prospects of the country’s economic growth which was moving at a healthy pace as well as the recovery in the global economy.
“Other than Port Klang, the Port of Tanjong Pelepas in Johor, has also shown an encouraging performance and is the 17th largest container port in the world, having moved 6.54 million TEUs last year,” he added. — Bernama