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WESTPORTS Malaysia Sdn Bhd,
one of the two terminal operators in Port Klang
is embarking on an RM800mil three-year expansion
plan to cater for the increasing throughput at
the port.
Executive chairman Tan Sri G. Gnanalingam said
the budget was for 48 prime movers, 51 trailers,
33 rubber-tyre gantries (RTGs) and land
reclamation.
“Westports will fund the project via internally
generated fund, five-year deferred payments to
contractors and bank borrowings,” he told
StarBiz.
Of the RM800mil, Westports will spend RM460mil
for its first phase of expansion plan scheduled
for completion by June next year.
Gnanalingam said the expansion was based on the
48.3% container volume growth for the last two
years.
“Based on the upsurge, Westports must be
prepared to handle more boxes in the future
since port is a supply driven industry,” he
said.
The port is expecting to record 4.3 million
twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) this year
against 3.7 million TEUs.
The expansion plan includes a 600m expansion of
its wharf scheduled to be completed in two
stages.
The first 300m will be completed by March and
the remaining half in June next year.
Presently, Westports has a total of 2,600m of
wharf length of nine berths.
“To equip the lengthening of our wharf, we are
prepared to further develop our container yard
and ordered extra port equipment,” he said.
Westports has ordered four super post-panamax
quay cranes (twin lift) at RM77.4 mil. The port
is expecting to receive two of the cranes in
September and another two in March.
To date, the terminal has 24 super post panamax
quay cranes including four twin lift cranes.
In tandem with its 60 acres container yard
expansion at RM70mil, Westports has also ordered
33 RTGs valued at RM106.3mil.
Westports will also receive 23 prime movers and
trailers totalling RM7mil as well as six
stackers valued at RM7mil.
This is an addition to its existing 220 acres
container yard equipped with 69 RTGs.
By June next year, Westport will have a total
capacity of handling 7.2 million TEUs annually.
In the first six months this year, container
volume at Westports reached 2.1 million TEUs.
This represents a 20% increase in TEUs handled
in the first half this year against the
corresponding period last year.
During the period under review, the port
recorded a 24% increase in transhipment activity
to a total of 1.37 million TEUs.
Westports has achieved 571,000 local TEUs in the
first half this year, a 10% growth from last
year.
By year-end, the port projects to achieve 1.3
million local TEUs.
In terms of conventional cargoes, Westports has
a total volume of 4.1 million metric tonnes.
Established in 1995, Westports control 63% of
total market share in Port Klang.
Malaysia Rating Agency Corporation (MRAC) has
awarded Westports with an AA rating as a
reflection of the port’s financial strength.
In the last five years, a major portion of
Westports' development has been funded by
internally generated funds and leasing
arrangements for its equipments.
The port has also bagged 12 industry awards with
the recent two of Information Technology Award
from International Association of Ports and
Harbours and Best Brands - Asia Pacific
(Transportation-Port) by Asia Pacific Brands
Foundation received this year.
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