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Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB), the operator of
Penang Port, has agreed to take action against
shippers who overload their cargo containers at
the port, after international container shipping
lines slammed its lackadaisical responses to
their complaints in handling the matter.
It is understood that the agreement was reached
at a meeting between PPSB and the International
Ship Owners' Association of Malaysia (ISOA),
Penang Chapter on June 17 2009.
During the meeting, the terminal operator said
it will start by ordering shippers of overweight
boxes to repack their cargo until they meet the
weight requirement.
Requests for enforcement have been sent by ISOA
to PPSB since June last year, saying that
overweight containers could pose a threat to
ships and their crew. However, the calls have
gone largely unheeded until the matter went to
press on June 15.
When contacted by Business Times, ISOA secretary
Fong Keng Lun said it has not received an
official letter from PPSB, but confirmed the
meeting between the terminal operator and the
association's Penang Chapter committee members.
"Every port should have a Health, Safety and
Environment Policy and be International Ship and
Port Facility (ISPS) code-compliant. If those
principles are being followed, then there should
not be any compromise made on commercial
grounds. You cannot compromise safety," Fong
said.
Asked on the matter in an interview on Thursday,
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said
that anything against the law must be dealt
with.
Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd corporate
communications manager Md. Derick Basir said
Port of Tanjung Pelepas does have instances of
receiving overweight containers at its port in
Johor, but the amount is not significant.
"All local cargo passes over a weighbridge in
our gate complex and is either rejected from the
terminal or directed to a holding area if found
to be under declared, depending on the
circumstances," he said via email.
Northport (Malaysia) Bhd spokesman said at
Northport, due to its strict controls at all its
gates/entry points, overweight containers are
disallowed entry into the terminal.
"We have capped the maximum weight allowed per
20-ft or 40-ft container at 30.48 tonnes per
container, as weight ascertained at the
weighbridges, at our gates.
"However, exceptions are made for overweight
containers if they are proven to be of the
Container Safety Convention (CSC) Plate, which
are designed for a maximum of 32 tonnes gross
weight," the spokesman said.
Malaysia Shipowners' Association (Masa) also
shares a common view with its international
counterpart.
Its executive secretary Captain Imtiaz Hussein
said Masa members, especially domestic container
operators, have given strict instruction to the
ports and terminals in the understanding that
all containers must pass through the latter's
weighbridge.
"If found to exceed the weight limitation of the
container, the port must reject acceptance of
the container and the haulier will then have to
return the container to the shipper for
unloading or repacking to meet the weight
requirement.
"Shipmasters have also been instructed to reject
overweight containers loaded on a vessel or when
the stability of the vessel is compromised,"
Imtiaz said.
Source: NST
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