KUALA LUMPUR: UMM SALAL – a 13,000 twentyfoot equivalent unit (TEU) container vessel owned by the United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) – made her maiden call at Westports on May 12, marking a momentous landmark in the history of UASC.
The berthing of UMM SALAL at Westports is viewed as yet another great effort to promote government- to-government relations and business-to-business partnership.
“We see it as an opportunity for both the Middle East and Malaysia to achieve greater harmony and to further expand commercial prospects,” said Westports’ chief executive officer Ruben Emir Gnanalingam in a statement yesterday.
He also assured UASC that Westports would continue to provide its utmost support in their endeavour to be a leading global player.
The UMM SALAL, which sailed into Westports from Yantian, China, is the first in a series of nine A-13 Class container ships odered by UASC, and is currently being deloyed for North Europe trade.
On hand to receive the mega-sized container vessel on Thursday was Port Klang Authority chairman Datuk Dr Teh Kim Po, Westports executive chairman Tan Sri G Gnanalingam and UASC vice president for Asia region, Lars Christiansen.
Meanwhile, Ruben said Westports was now on an expansion path and has already commenced reclamation work from Container Terminal (CT) 6 to 9.
As for wharf expansion, he said the port operator had completed almost 70 per cent of works on the first 300-metre for CT6.
“It is scheduled to be ready in July.
“We have also ordered eight new cranes which would be delivered between July and Novermber,” he said.
Ruben pointed out that Westports would continue construction of another 900-metre berth with the first 300-metre expected to be ready by end-2012 and the balance by mid-2013.
He said the 900-metre berth would be complemented with 11 new cranes, which would bring the total number of cranes at Westports to 54. — Bernama