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Northport,
which has the largest concentration of shipping lines in Malaysia, continues
to attract more shipping lines as well as receive additional calls from its
existing clients.
In the last six months the national gateway container ports received a total
of eight new services.
In the intra-Asian service sector, the port received additional service
strings from six major lines (Sea Consortium, Wan Hai, Regional Container
Line, Yang Ming Line, NYK Line and Hapag Lloyd).
Sea Consortium, Wan Hai and Regional Container Lines jointly started a
weekly Korea Straits India service linking Northport to its Asian services
network in December last year.
This was followed by a new service by Regional Container Lines in consortium
with TSK Line (the wholly owned subsidiary of NYK) to start a new intra-Asia
trade service early March 2004.
The service better known as Asean Pendulum Express II calls Northport every
Sunday and connects Jakarta, Singapore, Port Klang, Laem Chabang, Singapore
and Port Klang.
The month of March also witnessed the starting of a weekly direct service by
Wan Hai Line together with Yang Ming Line and German carrier, Hapag-Lloyds
to the Middle East and Taiwanese markets.
The service connects Kaoshiung, Keelung, Hong Kong, Shekou, Singapore, Port
Klang (Northport), Jebel Ali, Damman, Colombo, Northport, Singapore and
Koahsiung.
The three-member consortium has deployed five mid range carriers between
1,200 TEUs and 1,300 TEUs in the fast growing Intra-Asian trade.
In the east bound service from Northport the joint partners offer direct
connection to Jebel Ali Port and in the return leg the service they offer a
direct link between Colombo Port in Sri Lanka and Northport at Port Klang.
Besides that in recent months Northport also attracted Simatech Shipping, a
Dubai-based shipping line offers a direct common feeder service in the Gulf
Indian Straits.
The weekly service connects Northport with three main ports in Middle East
(Dubai, Bandar Abbas and Jebel Ali) and two ports in India (Nhava Sheva and
Mundra).
Northport's domestic and regional connectivity was also enhanced by three
new services during the first quarter of this year.
Supported by the increasing box traffic volume and impressed with the
consistent handling rates at Northport, brought back Maersk Sealand to
Northport.
The return of MCC Transport the feeder arm of Maersk Sealand to Northport
effective February 21 is expected to rise total lifting of transshipment at
Northport in 2004.
Besides MCC Transport, another service, Trans West Shipping strengthened
Northport feeder connectivity to East Malaysia with its weekly sailing.
MCL Logistics (M) Sdn Bhd has further widened Northport links with Thailand
via Satun Port, the fourth gateway port of Thailand.
The service between Northport and Satun has reported brosk business the
operator has intimated that it would soon deploy bigger capacity vessels by
middle of this year.
The service has boosted Northport connectivity with all major five ports
(Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Bangpakong, Satun and Songhkla) in Thailand.
Connectivity with Indonesian Archipelago has also expanded with the entry of
PT Sapta Bintang Sejatera which offers a direct link to Perawang Port.
"We are happy that Northport has dedicated facilities at Southpoint to
handle small players like us in the container trade," said the Managing
Director of CNC Freight Services of CNC Freight Services Sdn Bhd, Patrick
Lee Thiam Huat.
"Our shipments from Perawang will be relayed through Northport Container
Terminal (CT1, 2 or 3) to China and Korean market particularly via Hong
Kong, Shanghai and Pusan seaports. The weekly service will be expanded with
additional tonnage if the demand picks-up between Port Klang and Riau
riverine ports by the middle of this year," he said.
On the long-haul, OOCL has expanded its capacity in the major trade route by
deploying the mega sized container ships.
OOCL, the member of the Grand Alliance has deployed three 8,000 TEUs
capacity ship in the Far-East Europe trade lane and one 8,000 TEUs-size ship
in the transpacific trade lane.
The Hong Kong-based shipping company will be deploying an additional eight
more SX-class series ship to Northport in main east west trades.
Besides OOCL the other partners of the Grand Alliance like the Malaysian
International Shipping Corporation Bhd, NYK, P&O Nedlloyd and Hapag-Lloyd
will also injecting their bigger capacity ships from next year to 2007.
Beside Grand alliance members the Yang Ming and K-Line which offers a
pendulum service in the east west trade from Northport will also join the
race to deploy its mega carriers in the trade.
Both carriers have placed orders for eight vessels in the 8,000 TEUs which
are expected to join the trade by 2006/2007.
In tandem with increasing demand for its services and facilities, Northport
has initiated several measures to enhance and improve its handling capacity.
The completion of the new Container Terminal 3 added a further one million
TEUs capacity, bringing the total capacity at Northport to 4.0 million TEUs,
currently one of the highest in the region after Singapore.
To support the container handling operation are the CT3, Northport plans to
develop 20 acres of back-up area for container storage and increase
Northport's total ground slots TGS) by another 1,400 TEUs.
The port has also announced plans to convert Berth 14 which is currently a
conventional berth into a multi-purpose berth handling both containers and
conventional cargo.
The development is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2005. |
