Jet Feeder increases sailings 

Realising the huge potential for the development of transhipment traffic, Semua Shipping has decided to move into container ship operation with a vessel named, Jet Joanna.

"The move is in line with the government's call to promote Port Klang as a transhipment hub and encouragement to more local owners to engage in the trade," said the Managing Director of Jet Feeder Services Sdn Bhd, Pui Khiang Khang. Jet Feeder Services Sdn Bhd is the wholly owned subsidiary of Semua Shipping Group.

The vessel, mv Jet Joanna, was previously chartered to a foreign container operator serving between Singapore and Jakarta sector. It was later chartered by Westport Express Sdn Bhd for providing feeder service between Port Klang and Pasir Gudang sector.

According to Khang, the 250-TEUs mv Joanna calls Port Klang on every Monday and Friday and Pasir Gudang on every Wednesday and Saturday. 

"The feeder vessel is capable of carrying 3,500 TEUs per month. Our utilisation of the ship stands at 70-80 per cent per every sailing in the sector from her maiden voyage at Port Klang on 5th September 2000," he added.

The Jet Feeder dinner night was attended by the General Manager of Port Klang Authority, Datin O.C Phang.

"The fact that the owners, Semua Shipping group itself is involved in the trade shows our commitment for the development of Port Klang as the load centre. Currently we have mounted twice weekly service between Pasir Gudang and Port Klang sector and we are planning to add an additional ship which will increase our frequency to four sailing per week," he said. 

"This would make our network more competitive when compared with daily barge operators operating between Pasir Gudang- Singapore sector," said Khang.

He said transhipment of container traffic via Port Klang provided huge savings for shippers. 

"Shippers can save up to USD50 per TEU when they transhipped their boxes via Port Klang as against their usual practice of barging to a foreign port for their mother vessels' connection. So far the response is very encouraging from MLOs. In view of this, we will be deploying its sister ship mvjet Joannie in the trade," said Khang.

Plans are also in pipeline for Semua Shipping to expands its service between Penang and Port Klang sector. The group plans to purchase or build additional new vessels to be deployed in this service," said the Group Executive Director of Semua Shipping Group, Ambrose Wong.