Malaysia container throughput posts growth

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A major revamp has been seen in the global shipping arena, with carrier competition shrinking all the way down to three alliances, namely THE Alliance, 2M and Ocean Alliance. — Reuters photo

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s container throughput is registering growth as compared to 2017, even as global shipping companies leave Malaysian ports for Singapore, said deputy transport minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaafar.

He said last year, Malaysia recorded a slight dip in the containers registered at Malaysian ports due to various factors, including the scenario of lower growth posted overall by the shipping industry, as well as business consolidation at the global level.

“We understand and feel the effect of the shipping alliance reshuffling to Singapore, but have been informed that we are registering growth so far,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the World Maritime Week 2018 yesterday.

A major revamp has been seen in the global shipping arena, with carrier competition shrinking all the way down to three alliances, namely THE Alliance, 2M and Ocean Alliance.

The three represent 77.2 per cent of global container capacity and a whopping 96 per cent of all East-West trades.

Malaysia’s transshipment activities have also declined to between 10 per cent to 15 per cent over the years and the trend is continuing.

Commenting on the Shipping Master Plan 2017-2022, Kamarudin said the government would maintain and review the masterplan, as well as coordinate with state governments in regulating the policy to ensure all parties benefitted from it.

“We will sit down and discuss it,” he said.

On the allocation of a RM3 billion grant under the Transportation Development Fund allocated by the former Barisan Nasional government, Kamarudin said he was unaware of the matter.

“Those decisions (that) are considered to be proper, will continue, but anything that has yet (to be) spent and not following set standards would be reviewed,” he added. — Bernama