Malaysian ports to handle 21.18m TEUs this year
Malaysian ports are expected to handle 21.18 million twenty-foot equivalents (TEUs) of cargo this year, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha yesterday. In the first quarter of this year, the ports handled 5.1 million TEUs, up 6.5 per cent over the 4.79 million TEUs in the same period last year, he said.
"This is a very encouraging achievement, and we believe we can reach the target of 21.18 million TEUs this year," he said at the launch of the ministry's 2011-2015 strategic plan here today.
On the protest by container haulage drivers at Port Klang on May 2-4, Kong said a committee led by the ministry's secretary-general Datuk Long See Wool was held at Port Klang today.
It was attended by all stakeholders including haulage drivers, Port Klang container depot operators, and representatives of the International Trade and Industry Ministry, Housing and Local Government Ministry, Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCIM) and Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).
"The meeting was aimed at finding a long-term solution. We don't want the country's ports to be affected by the dissatisfaction of haulage drivers.
"We are working out a solution that is a win-win for everybody. If all that is settled, then the committee will report to the government and then we will take it from there whether there is any need for a review in future," he said.
He added that the ministry is looking at the problems faced by haulage drivers such as container depot surcharges, waiting times and also at improving the container depot operators' delivery system.
Kong also urged all agencies under the ministry to monitor logistics operators under their supervision and ensure any problem that can affect the country's transport industry does not arise.
The protest, he said, has had a large impact on the country's port and shipping operations.
"We do not have the real figures. All containers have been cleared although there was some disruption," he said.