United Alliance offers direct AMA service to Port Klang

The momentum of growing shipping services mark yet another milestone at Port Klang with the additional service from United Alliance - comprising Hanjin Shipping, Senator Lines, Cho Yang Shipping and the United Arab Shipping Company.

The alliance inaugurated the direct Asia - Middle East-Mediterranean - America (AMA) service to Westport on 29 September 2000 to meet the recent dramatic increase in cargo volume between Malaysia and the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The AMA service is a weekly fixed-day operation and is served by 13 ships of 2,800 TEUs.

The new port rotation of the AMA service covers Hong Kong - Singapore - Port Klang - Gioia Tauro - La Speizia - Fos - Valentia - New York - Norfolk - Savannah - Valencia - La Speizia - Gioia Tauro - Jeddah - Khor Fakkan - Singapore - Pusan - Kaohsiung - Hong Kong.

The new service allows member lines to offer a broader scope of services with competitive transit times. Local agents for the member lines said cargo movements between Malaysia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean have been expanding significantly recently.

"We have noticed that there has been a sharp increase in container liftings at Port Klang. We are encouraged by the fact that Port Klang recorded box traffic growth of 22 per cent in the first eight months period of this year, " said Harry Tan, the general manager of Perkapalan Balisa Sdn Bhd. Perkapalan Balisa is the local agent for the Cho Yang Line.

He said in the light of the strong growth, the member lines of the alliance decided to include Port Klang in the AMA port of rotation effective September this year. Tan added Malaysian shippers' choice to American market would be further expanded with this third service from United Alliance members. 

"We have been serving Malaysian shippers to America and European market through our Pendulum I and Pendulum II services. Both our existing services have been received by shippers. Our principal, Cho Yang, posted some 25 per cent growth last year compared with previous year. The growth was mainly attributed to exports," said Harry Tan.

"The strong base cargo with fast growing volume of regional transhipment traffic at Port Klang attracted United Alliance to mount an additional service to US and middle East ports from Port Klang," said the Regional Manager of Sinaran Malim Sdn Bhd, Daryl Tan. Sinaran Malim is the local agent for Senator Line.

"As for Senator Line we are looking to tranship more Indonesian traffic to the Middle East via Port Klang," said Daryl Tan. Senator Line will be injecting into the alliance10 ships of which six are 2,700 TEUs capacity while four are 3,000 TEUs capacity vessels in the trade.

Meanwhile, Japan Senator, 2,680 TEUs capacity ship chartered by Senator Line from Halim Mazmin Berhad (HMB) called Port Klang on October 6, 2000 as part of the AMA Service. 

Speaking at the ceremony to mark the maiden call of Japan Senator, HMB Executive Chairman, Tan Sri Halim Mohammad, said he was grateful to the charterers to position his vessels to make the direct call at Port Klang. 

"It is a very positive development - especially in the light of the government's efforts to promote Port Klang as the National Load Centre fostering more mainline services at the premier port," he said.

"As owners of the vessel, HMB is indeed pleased to see the national flag vessel engage in an important international trade route that will bring direct benefit to shippers in Malaysia and the region." he added.

Tan Sri Halim said the move by the charterers to make the direct call at Port, as part of the United Alliance Line's AMA service would benefit shippers in Malaysia to reach markets in the Mediterranean and United States. Local shippers will take advantage of the direct port call and support the AMA service.