The Rajang Port Authority (RPA) in Malaysia plans to spend MYR33.5 million (US$9.74 million) on renovations and the purchase of four straddle carriers and two empty container handlers this year.
"Beginning this November, we will demolish the Transit Shed 5 and convert it into container storage yard," RPA chairman Vincent Goh Chung Siong is quoted as saying in a Bernama report.
"At the same time we are reinforcing our existing wharf at Sections 1 and 2 as well as our fender system [in front of the transit shed and facing the Rajang River]."
He said the renovation work is expected to be completed by December 2009 by which stage it is hoped the reinforced wharf would be able to handle heavier cargo ships and their loads. The work will be carried out in stages to avoid disruptions to port operations.
With regard to the new Swedish-straddle carriers, they are expected to be commissioned within days. They will bring the number of straddle carriers at the port to eight. The two new empty container handlers are slated for delivery by next June.
Mr Goh said that with the new fleet, the port would be able to accommodate containers with a maximum weight of 35 tonnes, up from the present 30.
"This will help us further ease the congestion at the empty container area," he said. "This is the first time we are buying the equipment. Each will be capable of stacking up seven empty containers."
He added that during the first eight months of the year, RPA handled 51,154 containers, up 20.6 per cent year on year.
"Beginning this November, we will demolish the Transit Shed 5 and convert it into container storage yard," RPA chairman Vincent Goh Chung Siong is quoted as saying in a Bernama report.
"At the same time we are reinforcing our existing wharf at Sections 1 and 2 as well as our fender system [in front of the transit shed and facing the Rajang River]."
He said the renovation work is expected to be completed by December 2009 by which stage it is hoped the reinforced wharf would be able to handle heavier cargo ships and their loads. The work will be carried out in stages to avoid disruptions to port operations.
With regard to the new Swedish-straddle carriers, they are expected to be commissioned within days. They will bring the number of straddle carriers at the port to eight. The two new empty container handlers are slated for delivery by next June.
Mr Goh said that with the new fleet, the port would be able to accommodate containers with a maximum weight of 35 tonnes, up from the present 30.
"This will help us further ease the congestion at the empty container area," he said. "This is the first time we are buying the equipment. Each will be capable of stacking up seven empty containers."
He added that during the first eight months of the year, RPA handled 51,154 containers, up 20.6 per cent year on year.