|
Shipping agencies in Port Klang have recorded
30% to 40% drop in volume year-to-date against
last year and are implementing strategies to
continue doing business under the current weak
market.
“As with any other industries, shipping agencies
are also affected by the global economic
downturn as we are directly impacted by the
plunge in demand of goods,” Central Region
Shipping Association (CRSA) president Abu Bakar
Hussein said.
He was speaking to StarBiz at a CRSA event, An
Evening of Fellowship with The Shipping
Industry, recently.
Abu Bakar said that to stay afloat in the
prevailing market condition, CRSA members had
adopted strategies such as reducing costs and
increasing productivity, and most had come up
with contingency plans to ensure their survival.
“Unfortunately a small percentage of our members
had to cease operations,” he said, adding that
human resources remained the biggest costs.
Abu Bakar said it was difficult to predict what
would happen, going forward. “The same people
that predicted the gloom and doom of the
industry a few months ago are now giving a
positive outlook,’’ he said. “According to some
reports, the industry has to remain prudent in
the next two to three years.”
But most importantly, he said, the industry had
to maintain its efficiency to continue to
attract investors and shipping companies to
Malaysia.
“Basically, our principals (shipping firms) are
looking at efficiency because they also want to
reduce costs,” he said.
The CRSA event saw about 18 people from the
shipping and related industries being recognised
for their contribution to the industry. A
special recognition award was given to Selangor
Customs director Datuk Roslan Mohd Yusof.
Source: The Star
|
