Northport has been in the centre of this vast and dramatic change

that has been taking place in the global shipping scene.

As the search for greater economies of scale goes on, shipowners anxious to lower operating costs, look at bigger ships to carry more containers for less. More containers a ship is able to carry, lower will be the unit cost.

Reflecting this fundamental but important economic rule, the trend has been the emergence of post panamax and super post panamax container ships which are more than six or seven times the size of first container ships that sailed the ocean more than 30 years ago.
 
From vessels that had the capacity to carry about 1,500 TEUs (and were considered so large then), the present largest generation of super post-panamax ship is capable of carrying close to 8,000 TEUs. On the drawing board are even vessels called “Malaccamax” exceeding 12,000 TEUs. Whether or not the vessel size has reached its optimum is difficult to say – it is after all a question of technology, and technology, as we have witnessed, is very dynamic.
 
The increase in the size of container ships has, however, profound impact on ports which must respond to the specific demands of these giant ships or face the risk of losing out. Invariably therefore only ports which are able to meet the requirement of the increasing size of the container ship can hope to feature in the direct call by these ships. 
 
To begin with, the vessels require deep draft and they also need longer berths. The deep draft and wide beam of the ships require especially dredged channels; the ships also require longer berth when they come alongside.
 
The impact on the marine services – deeper and wider approach channels, wide harbour basin, bigger and stronger tugs and so on. But that is not all.
 
The bigger ships load and unload large volume of containers when they call at ports. The vessels are all mother ships – mainline vessels which must keep to very tight schedules in the fixed day/time call in the hub and spoke system. The system involves a link between the mother vessel and the feeder vessel and that must go hand-in-hand with clock-work precision.
 
Implication
Two important implications on ports are thus evident; ports must be able to berth and handle the ships with large volume of containers and also the system and work practices at the port must ensure that the vessels are turnaround fast.
 
To do this the ports must be adequately equipped – special cranes that can reach across the wider beam and as well as offer higher clearance; the cranes must be electronically driven faster and more reliable. And of course more cranes will be needed per vessel to effect speedy clearance.
 
The demand is not only at shipside but landside as well since the container yard must be able to offer the right capacity to cope with the movement of large number of containers.
 
Northport has been in the center of this vast and dramatic change that has been taking place in the global shipping scene.
 
About 30 years ago the first of the fully cellular container ships (“the 1,500 TEU Tokyo Bay” belonging to Overseas Container Line of the Trio Consortium) docked at Northport, the first dedicated container terminal at a Malaysian port.
 
Over the period of time we have continued to handle and cope efficiently with the ever growing size of vessels. Last year, we handled the 7,500 TEU “Hamburg Express” super post-panamax demonstrating our strong capability and commitment to meet the requirements of the trade.
 
Development
Northport’s commitment in meeting the demand is clearly reflected in the various port development projects as well as improvement and capacity enhancement projects that we have carried out.
 
The acquisition of new super post panamax cranes, extension of quayline and expansion of the container yard are some of the efforts that serve to demonstrate our concern in meeting the demand and expectation of the trade. We have shown our capability as well – the mere fact that we have been able to handle any of the largest container ships afloat at a given point of time is an adequate proof. Despite the increasing size of vessels at Northport, we have been able to turnaround the ships faster than before – which clearly reflects our vastly enhanced productivity and efficiency.
 
Arising from our commitment and capability, Northport can proudly lay claim to the fact that we have the largest concentration of mainline vessels in the country. Most of the major shipping lines and consortia calling at Port Klang are at Northport.
 
Our ability to handle these post panamax and super post panamax ships has increased the confidence of shipping lines in Northport. As Malaysia's gateway to the world, we are linked with more ports globally than any other ports in the country.
 
Northport is determined to keep the lead with the on-going development terminal expansion projects.