Westport welcomed the new 620-foot United States Ship Blue Ridge (LCC 19) into it’s waters on 9th April 2001. Bringing more than 1,100 crew-members, the 18,500 tonne vessel, renowned for its most sophisticated command equipment that facilitates command and control coordination for the United States Seventh Fleet was escorted in by the Terminals marine pilots headed by Capt Ghulam.

Westport’s 15 metre depth along the wharf side and special facilities to receive this prestigious vessel together with the ease and speed of berthing at Westport won many praises from the commander of the ship.

The Blue Ridge is the most capable command ship ever built, with an extremely sophisticated Command and Control system. The Joint Maritime Command Information System (JMCIS) consists of numerous powerful computers distributed throughout the ship from which information and data from worldwide sources are entered into a central database. The single integrated database concentrates the available information into a complete tactical picture of air, surface and subsurface contacts, enabling the Fleet Commander to quickly assess and concentrate on any situation, which might arise. This ability to access information from military and civilian sources throughout the world gives Blue Ridge a global command and control capability unparalleled in Naval history.

Westport is today proud to host this vessel of such magnitude and prominence as well as witness the presentation of a prestigious award upon the Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy.

The ‘Legion of Merit’ awarded to Admiral Dato’ Seri Abu Bakar bin Abdul Jamal by the Commander of the Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral James W Metzger on board the USS Blue Ridge is truly an occasion to recognize and strengthen the goodwill ties between the two nations; Malaysia and the United States of America.

To date, Westport has played host to a number of navy vessels on goodwill visits. The most recent was the three Japanese vessels, JMSDF Haruna, Katakaze and Asagiri that called the port on the 13 March 2001. With dimensions of 153m X 17.5m X 5.21m, the vessels were on a training mission with some 900 crew members.

In February 2000, the US Aircraft Carrier, USS John C Stennis with flight deck dimensions of 1,092ft length, 257 ft width and 244ft height called on a two-day courtesy call bringing 6,200 crew members.

Two US navy ships, the USS Constellation ( aircraft carrier) and USS Lake Erie ( a Cruiser) with 5,800 crew members berthed at Westport in August 1999 on 5-day goodwill visit to Malaysia and helped contribute RM 20 million a day to the local economy.