|
A two-day international conference on Bintulu Port will be held in Bintulu,
Sarawak to showcase developments at Bintulu Port to explore the prospects
for the port to emerge as a regional load centre.
The Chief Minister of Sarawak YAB Pehin Sri Tan Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud
has consented to officiate and deliver a key-note address at the Conference
that will be held March 27-28, 2006.
According to conference organizers, PortsWorld, the Conference is aimed at
providing Bintulu Port with a platform to further promote the Port and
enable it to secure a wider and deeper outreach among the international
shipping and port communities.
The Conference is consistent with the proposed strategy to foster the growth
and development of Bintulu Port as a Regional Load Centre for BIMP-EAGA
region.
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas welcomed the
initiatives taken to hold an international conference and exhibition in
Bintulu as timely as it will further promote Bintulu Port as a port capable
of handling various types of cargo besides liquefied natural gas.
He said that Bintulu Port has the potential to expand and play a more
prominent role in the regional ports system.
“In this regard, I expect Bintulu Port to take a more pro-active approach to
widen and deepen its marketing outreach so that more users in the region and
the country are better informed about the potential and prospects of the
port and the role it can play in the development of the regional trade,” he
said.
PortsWorld Managing Director, G Durairaj said the faculty of distinguished
speakers to address the international conference include the Federal
Ministry of Transport, Sarawak State Minister for Infrastructure Development
and Communication, Bintulu Port Sdn Bhd, Malaysian Industrial Development
Authority, Malaysian Shipowners’ Association, Inai Kiara Sdn Bhd, BIMP-EAGA
Business Council, Penang Port Sdn Bhd
The target participants and guests will be largely from the maritime and
related industries.
“We expect about 70 per cent of the participants from Malaysia, including
about 50 per cent of that to come from the states of Sabah and Sarawak.
Foreign delegates are expected from Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines,
Vietnam and Thailand,” he said.
Bintulu Port Sdn Bhd is the Conference Host for the BINTULU PORT: MAKING OF
A REGIONAL LOAD CENTRE CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2006 that has lined up a
distinguished faculty of speakers, including from the Ministry of Transport,
Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA), Ministry for
Infrastructure Development & Communications, Sarawak, Customs Department,
BIMP-EAGA Business Council, Bintulu Development Authority, Malaysian
Shipowners Association, Bureau Veritas and INAI Kiara Sdn Bhd.
A highlight of the conference, which is endorsed by Malaysian Shipowners
Association, will be a panel discussion on port alliances in fostering
regional load centering at Bintulu Port.
The session will be chaired by the Chairman of Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP)
Datuk Mohd Sidek Osman and its panel members will include from Northport
(Malaysia) Bhd, from Port Klang, Sabah Ports Authority, Penang Port Sdn Bhd
as well as Kuching Port Authority.
The Chief Executive Officer of Bintulu Port Sdn Bhd, Mior Ahmad Baiti said
the Conference was a welcome move to draw wider attention to the expanding
role of the port.
Bintulu Port, which commenced operations in 1983, is one of the most modern
ports in the region offering multi purpose port facilities.
The facilities include a dedicated container terminal, 3 LNG jetties, a
petroleum and LPG jetty each as well as dedicated bulk cargo wharves and a
palm oil terminal.
The port which handled 36.4 million tones of cargo last year, including
148,000 TEUs, is positioning itself as regional load centre for the
containerized trade in the region with its state of the art facilities.
“We are pleased to be associated with the Conference to further highlight
and increase the awareness of the shipping and port communities the vast
opportunities arising from the expanding role of Bintulu Port in the
region,” he said. |
